Age of Strife
by Puratinamu
Summary: After an undetermined time after the Kashgar Hive assault, Takeru Shirogane died. However, his journey was still not finished...
1. Chapter 1 - The Merging

**Arc 1 – A Very Long Prologue**

Disclaimer: âge, Sega, and Games Workshop owns Muv-Luv, Sakura Taisen, and Warhammer 40k Franchises and their characters respectively.

**Chapter 1 – The Merging**

(2001/10/22) (Shirogane Residence near Yokohama Base, Japan)

"Aaaaahhhhh!" Takeru Shirogane shouted as he woke up from his bed. "I… I came back again… So the voice was right," he murmured as the overflow of his sweat made his clothes sticky. Takeru then remembered past events of the past iteration, his hands pressing on his temple. "Dead, they were all dead… even after the destruction of the main hive." He was crying, crying for his friends, his comrades, and most of all, for his loved ones. Even with their sacrifices, there was no stopping the end of humanity. "Sumika… Meiya… everyone… I failed you all." He was losing hope. He felt that everything was going to be useless, that even if he came back repeatedly, it will all still end in the same way, that regardless of how hard he tried, it all all end up into nothing.

"Why?" he whispered, asked, to no one.

After destroying the main hive, there was a sudden influx of assaults on the remaining hives. Using mass-produced XG-70's, they were slowly but surely winning the war for Earth, or so they thought. However, during these assaults, several factions and countries had begun prioritizing their own plans, ambitions to become a major power after the war. So sure that they could free Earth from the BETA, several factions began fight each other. So sure, after only several consecutive successful assaults, they began to fight with each other. Coup d'états for wanting change, countries wanting more land after regaining their original home lands, revenge for abandoning their countries; there were a lot of reasons, thus starting another war. Even the UN was not exempted from the useless conflict as they did their peacekeeping duties.

In the end, a G-bomb was launched from London; bombarding the US faction in the remaining fertile lands that they occupy in North America, followed by a several retaliatory launches by the bombarded faction to several locations, with their respective targets firing back, a destructive zero-sum game.

"You will be dying, soon."

He remembered hearing a voice.

"Huh?"

"But don't worry, you will come back again"

A soothing voice that was almost surreal, familiar to his ears came whispering to his ears.

"What? But…"

"Don't worry… This time, you will save them all"

"Who are you?"

"Takeru… See you."

"Wai—"

Thus, with a flash of light, he died.

He died while defending the reconstruction of Hong Kong from the BETA.

In the end, he was killed, not by BETA, but by the hands of man.

Remembering his last moments, he raged. He threw his bed around, smashing it through the wall and furniture. He punched and lashed out on everything he could see. His anger and despair was so deep that he wailed and cried in hopelessness, tearing his own hair out.

"How can it be better this time!?" He smashed his hand on the floor repeatedly, as though he was beating the cause of all of his problems, the cause of their deaths, and himself.

There was no future, there was no next time, and there was no hope.

Then a single toy, just a mere an action figure, a remnant from his long past childhood, rolling out from a corner of his room, breaking his depression and stealing his attention. It was figure with prominent features and an intimidating blue helmet, wearing a blue bulky armor with gold linings at several edges and has a golden sigil of a double-headed eagle spreading its wings in its chest. It also has an indentation of a white skull inside a golden upside down capital Greek letter Omega with wings in its left shoulder and another upside-down capital Greek letter Omega painted in the right shoulder. It was standing resolute with its two swords in each hand.

"An Ultra— Gaaaaahhh! Aaaaagghhhh!"

Suddenly, images from his past and several images he cannot recognize began to flash rapidly inside his mind, making his head and body hurt so much that he curled on the floor near where his bed landed. He held his head, choking a scream, as blood began to pour out: from his eyes, from his nose, and from his ears, as he began to puke blood and bile. His vision flashed white and black in a very fast rate, blinding him with all the images, searing the inside of his eyes. Severe pain came from his body, as though it was melting from the inside, as experiences began to take shape. He felt as though a steamroller was squishing his head, as an extreme dull pain smashed his brain repeatedly from the information overload. Memories from his childhood, from other loops, and… from other realities, fragments, moments, experiences, and skills from all the iterations of Takeru Shirogane of different realities began to merge into one. One in a world without BETA, one that died at a BETA invasion, one that became a scientist, an engineer, a general, a statesman, one who was a saint, another that became a murderer, a brat, a man. With different ideals and morals, repeatedly in almost an infinitum, they began to merge, all the knowledge, experiences, and skills of humankind pouring into his single being.

However, even within such unholy torture, several memories began to take root into his soul, into his very being, the pain suddenly subsiding.

A memory with a woman who taught him, "When you get to the point where you can laugh at your mistakes, you'll find new things to replace what you lost."

A memory of a woman who gave everything to save humanity, "Time is the cruelest kindness."

A memory of a girl who confessed her love for him on death's door with a scene he cannot recognize with that girl holding a child's hand while looking up towards the night sky, "You want to meet him don't you? Then you... should say... 'See you.'"

A memory of a woman who did everything she could do to be with him, "Would you look at me... not as a childhood friend, but as a woman?"

A memory of his pledge, his goal, and his dream, _"_I had a dream. A dream of people living innocently, without knowing the meaning of peace. I had a dream. A dream of people risking their lives and living for the sake of protecting something. I think...only God knows which it was. But I still ask myself...was there something I could've done? I wonder, was that why I came to this world in the first place? If this was my unavoidable destiny, then what exactly was I to this world? Sad partings...the fate of humanity...and my own... I still wonder if I could've changed them. If I had a strong will to protect what I was meant to protect... from the start... Then maybe there was something only I could've done. I think there was. So... so... at the very least... I'll live on...and try to protect everything. I want to survive and protect this planet everyone gave up on. I think I can do that. The people left behind... the feelings left behind... the people I love... I'll protect them all with my life. I should be able to do something. There must be something. Humanity won't lose. I'll never lose. Because...I'm here... Because... I'm... still here..."

And a memory long forgotten due to the lazy days from his original world, a memory of an experience in his childhood.

He was playing in the living room, with several action figures, near the couch with his father by his side.

"Fwoosh. Aha ha ha. Look dad, the Ultramarines defeated its enemies again. They really are awesome! When I grow up, I'll become like them and protect mom, dad, Sumika, and all of my friends," he declared while holding the Ultramarine figure. It was a childish memory of him when he was still enamored with Warhammer 40k, never knowing the darkness of the game's world.

"Aha ha, nice one Takeru. But why not protect everyone?" His father was the one who introduced him to the game, only explaining the simplest and purest things about the game. It was later that he knew what the game was really was, and in a way, he was disappointed. Still, it was a precious memory, a memory that he forgot.

"Ehhh. Only the Emperor of Mankind can do that…, " he pouted at what his father said.

"Then why not become like him when you grow up?" Thinking back, he really found it funny, when his father said that. It was ridiculous and idealistic and even the Emperor of Mankind in the game has his faults.

"Yeah! You're right dad; I'll become the Emperor when I grow up. Then I'll protect everyone!" However, his child self agreed, never knowing anything, naïve, just like the current him. Thinking about it, such conviction from a child was unnatural, then again, he still forgot about, living a lazy and normal life.

"A ha ha, you will surely do son. You will surely do."

Still, even with the childish declaration, that particular memory was so glorious that it shone like a thousand suns in the sea of memories, a memory of him and his father just being boys, a memory of him immersed in playing _Warhammer 40k_.

Then Takeru passed out.

-000-

"Is this alright with you?"

"Yes."

Voices, he could hear voices. He could feel his body floating, drifting, though what he was experiencing was unique, as he could not feel water. Weightless, that would be right word of choice at his current predicament. He could feel as though he was floating in zero gravity, in space. Unmoving, he could not move his body, it was as though his body was not his own, a prisoner on a dead corpse. The only thing that he could do was to listen.

"Things might flow as we expect…."

"Maybe, but don't forget, we have hope!"

"But—"

"Just trust me."

"Well, if you say so…."

_What are they talking about?_ he thought as he tried to understand the conversation that he was hearing, but overall, it was a lost cause. Regardless, even if he had become a prisoner in his own body, he felt comfortable. He felt free, unshackled, and free of worries of his everyday life, worries, and enormous problems.

"Heeh, it seems your ****** is getting comfortable."

"….Cute.…"

"Leave him be! It's not time yet!"

"Jealous…?"

"Why do I—He's our *******!"

"…..Kill joy…."

"A ha ha, cut it out you guys; he might be hearing us right now."

"Yup, look, he's even twitching! A ha ha ha ha, your ******** is funny!"

Garbled voices, arguing and talking with each other and from what he could infer; he was their topic of conversation. He tried to discern the situation, fighting against the soothing feeling that was making his body comfortable; a hard task since he never felt so at ease since that eventful day that he woke up in the ruins that was his house. Waking up in an alternate world where aliens and mecha exist, waking up in a world where despair reigned. Even so, he gave his all to move his eyelids, to open his eyes to see. Slowly, but surely, his eyes were opening.

He never expected what he saw.

It was an overwhelming view, something that he could even describe as enlightening. There were stars, planets, and even galaxies; he guessed that he was in space—though how he could survive the hostile environment was a mystery—but what he saw was awe inspiring. There were infinitely long strips of terra, seemingly like tape in behaviour, where functioning ecosystems in land and water could be seen, curving and circling all over the observable zero gravity environment. It was like planet Earth was stripped of its crust and was then used as a decoration in a dark room. It was like the flat earth belief in the olden days but only stretched to impossible lengths, looping around galaxies. All of this made his right eye twitch in disbelief.

"A ha ha, he's twitching, he's twitching!"

"Twitchy."

"Everyone, you shouldn't be disrespectful."

"Your conduct is unbecoming of a ******."

"He he he, you say that, but why are you hiding your mouth? Hmmm?"

"Well, we could look at this situation as payback."

"Right!"

Still, what really made him question his own sanity were the giant dark silhouettes surrounding him. From what he could guess, they were feminine, with their flowing robes, stylized hairs, and feminine curves. Counting, there were twelve of them, standing on varying heights. They were towering, larger than several planets. If he could describe them, he was sure that they were Gods. In the middle of the towering titans was another of them. It was clearly male, sitting on a humungous golden throne held by four planets the size of Jupiter on each of its corners. In front of him was the small, in comparison, very familiar form of the planet Earth.

_This is very weird, well; at least I managed to use my talent on guessing Pokémon silhouettes back in the days…. Still, I digress…. Am I on crack? Maybe this was the effect of the merging…. Huh? What am I talking about? Weird…. But damn, this sure is one hell of a dream, or maybe I already died…._

"Enough. Let my ***** start his journey."

"Mou, ******…. Eh, well, see you!"

Suddenly, after that last and very familiar statement, a sudden force pulled him away, his body zipping through several stars and planets.

"See You Takeru!"

After that chorus from the seeming Gods, darkness engulfed him….

-000-

Takeru groaned as he woke up. His head and body was hurting a lot, a wreck, the blood, and puke caking on his clothes.

_It feels like Sumika just did her Drill Milky Way Punch on me. _He shook his head and rubbed his temples.

"Hmm? What's this? An Ultramarine?" he said as he picked up the figure beside him, unembellished by his ghastly excretions.

_Ah, I remember now, I passed out from the…._

"What the hell was that?" He had a late reaction as he only noticed that he was covered in his own blood and puke, remembering the unholy pain that he had just endured and the bizarre dream that came after, making him shiver involuntarily.

Then suddenly, knowledge came to him. "Merging? So that what's happened to me… I passed out huh?"

Now that he thought about it, he should have been surprised by such a development, but on the contrary, he felt calm, a feeling of completeness, in a sense, as though what just happened to him was supposed to happen eventually due to him being a Causality Conductor.

"Hmm, an effect perhaps," he said as he stretched his limbs, moving his body to see if the merging has an effect on his physical capabilities. He felt stronger, faster, and a little bit more flexible, but not that much since repeating time loops also had such an effect on his body.

Still, except for heightened physical prowess, increased knowledge, and a calm outlook on what just happened, he is still Takeru Shirogane.

"The original one," he voiced out correcting himself.

Pocketing the Ultramarine figure in his pants, he began to observe the destruction surroundings. "Hee… I really did a number to my room." Walking around while avoiding the pieces of wood and rubble, he began to search for items that he can still use and bring with him to the base. "Hm? Nice, the _Gameguy_!" he then began to fiddle with the device, "and it's still working!" Continuing on his scavenging, he began to notice something that can only be possible in fiction. "Eh, seriously? A freaking hole in the wall? Did I do that?" Maybe, he should reevaluate the changes in his body, especially his strength, before he starts his short walk towards the base_. I might hurt someone unintentionally in the future._

Pulling his arms back, a single image suddenly flashed giving him a light headache. Takeru then began to position his body to a specific form for an optimum release of force… and blinked… "Maybe due to the merging," he suddenly said to himself, a bit bewildered. Continuing on, preparing himself to a chance that he may hurt himself in this normally illogical… stupid endeavor. "Damn me for over thinking things. Well, here goes nothing!" He then released a punch….

And his arm went through the wall like tearing through Styrofoam as a small tremor was felt all over the ruined house.

"Holy!"

_I'm like those super powered characters on manga or something. _

"This, rocks!" he shouted aloud while doing some cliché poses. "Here comes Takeru Shirogane! Ha ha ha ha!" he shouted again while doing the Mr. Satan pose.

Then the thought of such sudden growth of strength being a problem came. "Man, this will definitely be a nuisance when I start my _Eishi_ training in the base. I might maim, or worse, kill someone on the base. This will surely attract unwanted attention. I shouldn't reveal much until I'm sure everything will be okay. I don't want to be dissected…. Brrrr…! Then again, this will be useful on fighting against BETA."

Suddenly, his head began to hurt again. Holding his head with a hand, images of different versions of himself training different kinds of martial arts flashed inside his mind. Accompanied by their knowledge, skills, and experiences, he began to feel confident while removing his hand from his head. "Hmm, at least this makes hurting my friends accidentally almost impossible." Nodding to himself, he placed several items he found in his room, including his Gameguy and the Ultramarine figure, into his ever-reliable duffel bag. Then he got out of his wreck of a room and began searching the cupboards in the kitchen for food. "Ooh, cup ramen, going to need that…. Oh, potato chips… and many more! Man, I hit the mother lode. Thanks Mom!" he shouted to someone who was not there anymore. He then began to get a little bit teary eyed but he continued putting the foodstuffs in the bag.

He then went to the bathroom to look at himself to double check if he had any changes physically, and wash himself off with all the blood and puke on his uniform if there was any water. He then looked at the mirror. "Same short brown hair and brown eyes, the same lazy look in my face and.… Hmm? I think I got a little bit taller, and damn I got a nice body…. Seriously! Now I have narcissistic tendencies?" Shaking his head, he concluded, "In short, nothing really change, well maybe I'm a little confused on these new personality quirks. Still, I think everything is okay after the merging." Then, he began to wash his face and his body_. And I'm beginning to talk to myself like a lunatic._

After readying himself, he opened the door and went outside the house. After a flash of blinding light, everything became the ruins that they were with a broken TSF lying on what was left of the house of Sumika's family.

With his duffel bag and his regained hope for the coming storm that is the future, he began the start on his long journey with a single step towards Yokohama base.

"Sumika… don't worry, I will save you and everyone this time. I will definitely forge a path that will give a good end for mankind," he murmured to himself.

-000-

(The Gates of Yokohama Base)

It was a normal day, with the sky full of clouds, for the guards of the Yokohama base.

The first guard was an Asian man, wearing the blue UN foot soldier uniform with a blue war helmet. With a beard in his upper lips, he stands proudly as a guard of Yokohama Base doing his guard duty seriously.

The second guard was a man of African descent with his dark skin and large lips, wearing the same uniform as the other guard. He was also a proud member of UN doing his duty with utmost effort.

They were doing their usual duties of standing, watching, walking, and guarding, just another day for a UN soldier. Ordinary, until Takeru Shirogane came.

Up in the horizon, the guards noticed a figure was walking up in the hills towards them, slowly and methodically, it was as though the figure was gliding with grace on the concrete pavement. It was a man, a young man at that, but still a man.

The guards started to ready their firearms and pointed their weapons at the nearing figure, wary of the new comer and following the standard procedure for unknowns. Still, the young man emanated some kind of unexplainable presence, a presence that made the guards gain more determination, courage, and hope. They can only stare in awe at the nearing young man and his commanding aura.

Winds blew from the right as the young man approaches. The leafless trees swaying a bit, as the rays of the sun came shining upon him as the clouds began clearing out in the sky. It was as if the world was welcoming their master back after a very long journey.

It was epic.

After several moments, the young man was now standing several meters from them. The Asian guard then shakes himself out from his epic-induced state and shouted "Halt! Identify Yourself! State your ID number and the squad that you're assigned to!" This awakened the other guard from the same state. Even if he was the Messiah, they still have to do their jobs.

"Shirogane Takeru. No ID number or squad number yet. Can you call Vice-commander Kouzuki? I want to talk to her," the young man calmly said. "Tell her it's about Alternative IV."

-000-

(The Gates of Yokohama Base)

After paying his respects to the place where the marker of Marimo and the rest of the Valkyries' graves would be placed, which was near the place where the cherry blossom trees were planted, he began walking up the hill towards Yokohama Base.

"Still the same guards as always," he murmured with a small smile to himself. Regardless, these men, even if they were only foot soldiers, he must commend them for their bravery, especially during the BETA assault on Yokohama Base after the Sadogashima operation. _Even these guys are necessary for defeating BETA._

He decided that he should research for a way to increase their physical prowess and ultimately increase their survival rate with BETA encounters. "A power armor maybe…." Like they say, or maybe it was his morals, every human life counts.

"Halt! Identify Yourself! State your ID number and the squad that you're assigned to!" One guard shouted halting his musings. Theywere good as they were already pointing their guns at him while he was just approaching, not that he was afraid. Maybe it was the experience, something like high-level characters not being afraid of lower levels on MMOs back in the original world. _Hehe, what am I thinking about? I should reply immediately._

"Shirogane Takeru. No ID number or squad number yet. Can you call Vice Commander Kouzuki? I want to talk to her," he paused. "Tell her it's about Alternative IV."

As he waited for Yuuko, the guard of African descent was still pointing his gun at him while Asian guard went to the guard booth to call HQ for her. Surprisingly, the guards never accosted him even after the call was finished. Not like in the past loops where experiencing pain was necessary on his part before he could gain entry. In addition, he noticed that the call was very short. "Hmm, maybe Yuuko-sensei is already expecting me," he murmured which made one of the guards look at him suspiciously. Leaving such thought for further study later, he smiled as things were already changing.

Several minutes later, Yuuko came. _Hm? Curious? This only proves that she already knew I'm coming. It must be Kasumi._

She eyed him as if she was appraising his worth like a piece of meat at a butcher shop. Feeling a little bit uncomfortable, he stiffened a bit, changing his center of gravity, and leaned a little bit to the side so that he could at least defend himself if something happened.

Now that Takeru got a good look at her, she really was a beauty. Standing at a height a little bit taller than most Japanese women do, she has short purple hair in a somewhat unique hairstyle and brown eyes. She has a very beautiful face and a sexy body as she was wearing the usual female UN officer uniform, which was in color black, with a blue-green linings on some edges with a blue-green tie, which was under her pristine white lab coat with a black office lady skirt for her lower half. She could really make a new fashion trend with that kind of poise, in his opinion.

After a couple of moments of sizing him up, she ordered, calmly, "State your name, affiliation, and your objective."

It was strange. According to previous loops, she should be more wary of him, which usually lands him into a cell for further questioning.

The again, he might as well answer her. "Name's Takeru Shirogane, Yuuko-sensei. No particular affiliation except for being a third year high-school student. My objective, to save mankind from BETA and itself with the help of you, Alternative IV, and some people I can't name yet," he said seriously, with conviction on his voice.

She looked incredulously at him after hearing that bit, a myriad of emotions showing on her face. From a look saying, "Is this guy crazy?", then as if remembering something, she schooled her face into a neutral expression she always wore. For a moment there, he thought he saw a blush tinting her cheeks red. _Nah, just my imagination. Seriously, Yuuko-sensei blushing like a little girl!?.._. His brain short-circuited for a second. Maybe he should be more careful with his inner monologues from now on.

Suddenly, she pulled him towards the base unceremoniously, leaving two baffled UN guards with confused looks in their face.

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (The Gates of Yokohama Base)

For the first time in her life, she was left speechless.

A young man suddenly appears in front of a UN base, asked for her audience without much preamble, and then suddenly spouts classified information. She should have him shot for that reason alone, or at least put him in a cell for further questioning.

However, no. She can't just do that. Her instincts were screaming at her to trust the young man, and usually her instincts were right. In addition, what Kasumi said before he arrived worried her, which made her remember that unusual event.

Yuuko Kouzuki was in her office, which was full of unorganized paper prints and opened books in every corner. She was in her desk figuring out how to process fifteen billion semiconducting parallel computing circuits for a super computer brain. Being alone in her office, she was freely showing stress in her face due to the upcoming deadline for Alternative IV. Stuck in her work, she decided to check on Kasumi and the brain in the other room.

As she entered the room, she saw Kasumi staring at the floating brain.

"Kasumi, what's the status of 00 Unit?"

"No changes professor."

"Che," she cursed to herself due to the slow progress of her project.

Suddenly, Yuuko heard a dull sound. She turned her head and saw Kasumi on the floor in front of the capsule containing the brain. She went to her, checking if she was hurt or feeling unwell. Then she saw Kasumi slowly open her eyes.

"After a thousand repetitions… after so many worlds… after so much pain and suffering… even if his hopes and ideals were crushed repeatedly, he rose and began his journey anew…. Even if he was given a choice to live peacefully, he never forgot in his soul what he left and came back again and again. And… now he comes back… but was now born a new... He will come... The Emperor will rise and the Imperial Flowers will bloom…. They…. He will give us all… Hope…."

"What are you talking about, Kasumi?"

"He will come to us… and save us… save all of mankind…."

"You're not making sense, Kasumi!"

Kasumi only gave a small smile as a reply to Yuuko. She then closed her eyes and began to sleep within Yuuko's embrace with a small smile on her face.

The Vice-commander of the Yokohama base was surprised, especially on the first natural expression on Kasumi's face. "Is this some sort of clairvoyance?" she asked herself. "I have to check her records for more information on this event later." After carrying Kasumi onto a bed close to her office, she continued on her work, but not before ordering someone on the phone to inform her if someone comes to the base.

Yuuko shook her head from her remembrance as she lead the young man to her office for further interrogation.

Still, a storm of emotions she had long forgotten for her goal to save humanity was raging in her soul. Unexplainable urges to trust him, to praise him, to worship him, to love him…. She shakes her head again, trying to deny what she was feeling. "What the hell is happening to me? Is this some sort of psychic attack?" she murmured.

As if answering her question, several blurry images flashed rapidly in her mind, giving her a mild headache.

"Stop it."

"Hmm, Yuuko-sensei?"

"I said stop it!"

"What are you talking about, _sensei_?"

He looked at her, his face showing that he really didn't know what she's talking about. Either he's innocent or a really good actor, regardless, she will find out later.

"Never mind, let's hurry up."

He nodded and continued to walk beside her. For now, she should take him to her office for some questions. "Only questions," she muttered again to herself.

-000-

(Vice-commander's Office)

"How do you know of Alternative? What do you know of Alternative IV? From whom did you find out about my name? Are you a spy? What faction? Answer me –"

"Whoa there, Yuuko-sensei!" he managed to stop her barrage of questions, waving his hands frantically while in his seat. "Can you ask one question at a time?"

She gave one of her patented glares.

"Okay, I know about the Alternative Plans from you, Yuuko-sensei, especially the details about Alternative IV. Honestly, I'm really here to help you on accomplishing it."

She could only give him a disbelieving look as a reply.

"Furthermore, I already know you, Yuuko-sensei, at least versions of you from my original world and in unaccountable loops," he paused to let the information sink. He should leave the merging and the memories of alternate worlds a secret. "And I am neither a spy nor any other variants of that particular profession." Well, not technically... However, she doesn't have to know that.

"Then that means…"

Yuuko was flabbergasted, at least her version of that expression, as she processed what he said.

"Yes, in one of your theories, I'm what you coined as a Quantum Causality Conductor or something like that… Well, anyways, I'm an amalgamation of a number of loops, at least those that I could remember."

"So what's your aim?" she asked.

"I don't really have an aim here Yuuko-sensei. I only wish to help you on your endeavor," he said with the most honest look that he could give, "with some conditions."

She then schooled her face into a cold demeanor after that last statement. If he had not known her from several worlds and loops, she would have intimidated him. Now that he thought about it, in some of his memories from the alternate versions of him, they became a couple.…

_Maybe that blush wasn't my imagination after all…. _

…_.._

…_._

_Nah, we only met this time, that's just too fast of a development._

"I don't believe you," she coldly said to him, clearly lying to test him more. "For all I know, you're just a really good liar with enough information from some unknown sources."

"Well, how about I prove my authenticity to you?"

"Try me."

"I know about the brain, 00 Unit, in that other room." She flinched a bit. "I also know about the XG-70 aptly named _Susanoo_." Yuuko was becoming flustered from the mention of those names. "In addition, you are planning on making a super computer brain that can process fifteen billion semi-conducting parallel computing circuits with the brain," _sorry Sumika_, "or specifically the 00 Unit as the core to run the—"

"Stop!" she ordered him loudly, stopping him from continuing his information dump. "How do you know?" She was now losing her composure.

"I just know." Takeru cryptically answered her, with a bit of flair, pointing to the side of his temple while grinning. _Hehehe… The merger was really something. I could even remember and understand the equation that Yuuko-sensei made._ He decided that he should study them and maybe improve them in the near future; it could help ease the resurrection of Sumika and in her future role as the main comp—no, as the pilot of _Susanoo_.

_Don't worry Sumika, just sleep a little bit more. Soon I will save you. I will not make mistakes this time around. Watch me, Sumika! Here I go!_

"As already said, I can help you, _sensei_. I know about the equations needed. I can also make improvements on it. I can make your dream a reality."

She stared at him, her internal conflict that she was having, clear to Takeru. Just one last push and she would crack.

_Sorry Yuuko…_

"If not, then Alternative IV will be scrapped for Alternative V. Billions of lives will be left to defend themselves while only the chosen hundred thousand would be evacuated to that planet in the Barnard Star System. Billions of people will die by denying me, _sensei_. Can you take that much guilt? Can you ignore those that you have sacrificed? Can you take the chance? "

He paused for dramatic effect and blamed the memories of the actor version of him.

"I know you don't want that to happen, Yuuko-sensei," he said softly this time, while he stood up and leaned towards her using the table as leverage, trespassing on her personal space. He noticed the gun inside her coat was now pointing at him, obviously loaded. Then he sat again after several moments of staring at her, while saying nonchalantly, "If not, well… I'm not really the one calling the shots here. You're the Vice-commander and I'm just the unknown. And if you kill me now, I'll just try again in the next loop." He leaned on his chair, making himself comfortable, while waiting for her decision.

It was already a minute and she was still there in her chair with that calculating look in her eyes, mulling over her answer. Nevertheless, he already knew what her decision would be. With the way he acted and cornered her by asking those questions, he was sure that she couldn't even find an opportunity to see through anything, not that he hid anything necessary for her to know. He pulled every chink of her well-crafted emotional armor, all the stress that was bottled up before was now gushing out of her like a geyser, now easy pickings for him to use. In the end, Yuuko was still human, a woman, and she was now in his hands with no hope of escaping...

_Sorry Yuuko, but I am not a brat anymore._

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (Vice-commander's Office)

Yuuko was again speechless. He was blackmailing her and it was working. She could only stare at him as he made himself comfortable in his seat.

According to the file, Takeru Shirogane was already dead from the BETA attack in the year, 1998. But, was this a ghost in front of her? According to him, he's a Causality Conductor. Maybe it's true. Still, she needed more information to prove his claims. Then again, he's right… At the pace that her research was going… no, she can't think negatively now and affect her focus on her work.

She was stuck. If she doesn't agree and kill him here, the chances that she will succeed will be the same. The guilt for denying the chance will be too much for her. However, if she takes the young man under her wing, observe him, and let him help her, then maybe… Maybe he will really give her… Hope.

-000-

(Vice-commander's Office)

"I will give you a chance, Shirogane Takeru," she said.

_Hee... Still not a hundred percent sure are we. Well, that's to be expected. _

"So what are the conditions?"

"Put me in Squad 207 as a cadet and—"

"Why?"

"I know you know why.…" Donning the mantle of the magnificent bastard was tiring Takeru. In a way, it was really crossing with his moral horizon. He decided to make it up to her in the near future.

"Now, continuing... Even as a cadet, I must have unrestricted access to your office and all Alternative IV related areas in the base, so that I can assist you and maybe do my own projects on the future. Also, don't even try using Kasumi to read my mind, it would only hurt her."

Takeru paused.

"Note that this discussion must never reach anyone's ear except for the two of us. Trust me, I'll know, and act as if I'm just a new cadet you recommended. "

She waited after several moments for more. Then….

"That's all? Why? Why do all this? What's your angle?"

Takeru only smiled at her.

"There's no angle here, Yuuko-sensei, no secret goals whatsoever," he said with a hint of affection. "I just want to save mankind."

-000-

**Author's Notes**

Well, here's the first chapter of the rewrite of Age of Strife. Nothing much really, just some changes in perspective and some added scenes, few details that would be important to the story, and dialogs.

Well then, that's all for now. I welcome any criticism and reviews for the story. Thank you for reading and good day.


	2. Chapter 2 – Names and Memories

**Arc 1 – A Very Long Prologue**

Disclaimer: âge, Sega, and Games Workshop owns Muv-Luv, Sakura Taisen, and Warhammer 40k Franchises and their characters respectively.

**Chapter 2 – Names and Memories **

(Scarlet Twins – The Gemini) (Yukon Base Barracks) (2001/10/21)

In a quarters of the UN base where Project PROMINENCE was in its last months, there sleeping on a single bed were the infamous Scarlet Twins, both having silver hair, one short and the other long, though one has a more mature body than the other, resting after another grueling session of TSF test flights. They were facing each other when they opened their eyes at the same time.

"So he comes, sister," Inia said to her beloved sister.

"So he is… I hope he gets along with Yuuya," Cryska replied.

Both of them had small smiles in their faces.

-000-

(2001/10/23) (Yokohama Base Barracks)

"It's the same dreary room as always."

Takeru woke up on a familiar room: a single bed with a chair and a desk at the side, a bathroom at the corner for a nice touch of privacy, his duffel bag in a corner, and the Ultramarine, in all its glory, placed on the table. Overall, it was a simple bunker room, a bit lavish with the private bathroom for a cadet, but maybe it's just him.

"Maybe I should exercise a bit." Having no childhood friend or a cute psychic Russian _loli_ to wake him up had made his first morning in Yokohama Base quite unexciting.

With that, Takeru did a little work out of a hundred pushups, a couple hundred stomach-crunches, and another hundred squats, finishing with some stretching, and he was ready for the day.

"I should just wait for Marimo-chan to come," he decided and waited.

Instructor Marimo Jinguuji, one of the people that influenced him most from the last loops with her gruesome death affecting him the most, the memory forever ingrained to his very soul. He still remembers his frantic cries as he tried to piece her mauled head, gathering the remains of what was left of her once beautiful face. She was the first of the series of deaths that almost made him give up on everything and escape. He should have blamed Yuuko, however, in the end; he could do nothing but wallow in despair. _Well, not this time…._

Still, remembering their deaths had made the festering guilt inside of him worsen as he covered his face with his hands.

"This time I'll save you Marimo-chan. I wouldn't let you or anyone die this time," he reassured himself.

He waited for Marimo to come, not that it took long, since after his depressing monologue, he heard a knock from the door.

He opened the door, and there, in front of him, was Marimo, still alive with a stern expression on her pretty face. With long brown hair curling uniquely reaching up to her waist, and with brown eyes on her cute but beautiful face, she stands there with her usual UN training uniform, blue cargo pants and a black sleeveless shirt inside her closed black UN vest.

A sudden rush of emotions then came to him, emotions of anguish, sadness, delight, affection, and love. He almost cried, then and there, but he quickly schooled his face into his usual everyday lazy look.

Still, she just stood there just staring at him, with surprise and a hint of blush clearly showing on her face. After several seconds, she shook her head and asked, "Are you Cadet Takeru Shirogane?"

-000-

(Marimo – The White Rose) (Yokohama Base Halls)

"What is wrong with Yuuko? Why a new cadet now? And to join that squad of all things." She said to herself as she walked towards her destination. "I really don't care how special this new cadet is, he's already late to the program and catching up is impossible at this point." She paused. "Regardless, she's my commanding officer. I'll just check later and just trust her for now."

After several moments of walking, she was now in front of the door of the new cadet's room. She knocked. As the door opened, she saw him. All of a sudden, several blurry images came flashing in her mind, with several strong emotions gushing from within her. She shook her head thinking it was due to some sleepless nights and the strange dreams she could not remember that she was having lately.

"Are you Cadet Takeru Shirogane?" Marimo asked to the young man in front of her for confirmation.

"Yes," the young man answered.

"I'm Instructor Marimo Jinguuji. I'll be introducing you to your assigned squad."

With that, she and the young man began heading to the area Squad 207 was training.

"Don't let your squad mates affect you if they give you surprised looks. New male conscripts are rare nowadays."

"Yes ma'am, thank you for your advice."

"But I'm, curious, the Vice-commander personally recommended you to the training regime. 'A young man who threw away his draft exemption to become a UN Eishi, he's a young man with childish ideals that gave up a life of peace,' is what she said. Honestly, I find it funny. She said you are someone special Shirogane," she said to him, with a hint of mirth, hoping to get answers to some of her questions.

"Hm? Yeah I did," he answered casually with a bit of annoyance in his tone. Either he was annoyed by her or by what Yuuko said, she will never know.

After several moments of walking in silence, with her mulling over his casual demeanor, while trying to figure out the enigma walking by her side, he suddenly walked ahead of her then turned around and said, "Then, I'll be in your care now Marimo-chan," saluting playfully at her.

She blinked at his sudden act. _What is wrong with this guy?_

"That's Sergeant Jinguuji to you, Cadet Shirogane," she said as she glared at the cadet.

"Sorry Mari—Sergeant Jinguuji."

"Hmm." She nodded at his reply.

"I'll be clear to you, Cadet Shirogane. I don't care about what kind of connection you have with the Vice-commander or any classified information you know. Just to let you know that she gave me orders to observe and report your activities."

"I know," he sternly replied, any sign of his casual and playful demeanor gone.

-000-

(Yokohama Base Training Fields)

"Squad, assemble!" Marimo called out.

There in front of him were the members of Squad 207, lining up wearing black shirts. Most were sleeveless, with blue cargo pants, the usual UN cadet training uniform.

Then images of their deaths flashed inside his mind without preamble, almost giving himself up to despair until he banished such thoughts for the joy he felt for seeing them alive and well once again though the blood that he could taste in his mouth from biting his tongue was a sign that he was barely restraining himself.

There was Miki Tamase, with her long pink hair in a dangerous hairstyle, a small girl for her age. With an almost nonexistent chest, she gives off a very strong _loli_ presence with the_ lolicon_ inside him seriously considering doing what that guy in _Lolita_ did. In addition, she has cute, cat-like, green eyes, which only increases her dangerous aura, a thought that banished the depression, for now. _Ohhh, Tama-chan, I just want to take you home… Whoa there Shirogane… I'm really close at crossing over there. Dangerous… very dangerous._ The resident sharpshooter, she could even hit a fly a kilometer away without killing it, a veritable prodigy. She was also the daughter of Genjousai Tamase, the UN Undersecretary-general, a very important man….

Right next to her was Chizuru Sakaki. The pigtailed, brown haired girl had a very serious look with her olive-green eyes. She has a very stern attitude that just shows her strong and stubborn personality, a stickler to the rules, he supposed, very much, like a class representative. With a height that was usual for most Japanese women, she has a nice body even with her somewhat homely looks due to her glasses. Still she was quite pretty, especially without the glasses and with her hair down. However, the glasses man inside him disagrees; favoring the intelligent and strict look the glasses gives her. _Maybe a gift of a new pair of glasses would be nice in the future. I should definitely think about this later._ The daughter of the current Japanese Prime Minister, which from what he could remember, she had a bad relationship with, a man that he needed to get in touch with.…

"Giiii…."

_Urk… What is this feeling? _It was like someone was staring right through his soul. He tried to pinpoint the source of such feeling.

It turned out to be Kei Ayamine, the resident demure oddball, a girl of few words. Tall with short black hair and dark-violet eyes, she is a CQC expert with her special attack, the _Space Tornado Ayamine_, a funny name in his opinion. She was also at odds with Class Rep with their conflicting personalities, almost similar to cats and dogs. Lastly, she is a girl with a disgraced Imperial Army General for a father, who had the leader for the upcoming coup d'état as a subordinate….

His gaze then fell unto her, Meiya Mitsurugi, a noble woman. With blue eyes and long, blue hair that was tied in a unique, and very long ponytail by a very long, white ribbon, she was reminiscent of those samurai of old Japan as she stood with a posture showing self-confidence. One could even say that she was the epitome of an ideal warrior woman, expert with the sword, specifically the _katan_a that was a very fitting specialty for her image. The estrange twin sister of the Shogun… a political tool…. However, he would do his best for her not be one.

In addition, of an absent Mikoto, who was recuperating in a hospital due to some injuries, Yuuko, Marimo, Kasumi, and Sumika, they were the women that loved him and he loved from his past loops and other worlds, women that he will continue to love, regardless if they have feeling for him this time or not.

He will do anything to save them and give them their good endings.

"Everyone, I will now introduce to you the newest member of this squad," Marimo announced interrupting his thoughts. "This is Cadet Takeru Shirogane. He will be training with us starting tomorrow. We will test him later since that he is highly recommended by Vice-commander Yuuko Kouzuki. Be sure to get along with him, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" all of them chorused.

"Sakaki!"

"Ma'am!"

"Show him around the base so he'll become familiar with the place."

"Understood ma'am!"

For a second there, Chizuru eyed him suspiciously… same with the rest of the girls.

"Now! We will continue our training. Shirogane, you just watch for now," Marimo ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted, while watching the girls pass him by as they continued with their training. From what he could observe, the training methodology used had a lot holes, and the efficiency leaves a lot to be desired, which in turn lags the development of their martial skills, another thing that he had to fix in the future. To ensure their survival, he has to make them stronger, exceed their own limitations, and maybe make them superhuman if needed be. Still, watching them train as cadets gave him a small hint of happiness, happy for the short and peaceful days.

With such thoughts and feelings, he reaffirmed himself with his goals.

-000-

(Yokohama Base PX)

At lunch, he made his way to the local cafeteria with Class Rep, his nickname for Chizuru, to meet and socialize with the rest of Squad 207: Meiya, Ayamine, Class Rep, Tama, his nickname for Miki, and Mikoto, who wasn't present yet due to her being hospitalized.

"Ah, Shirogane-san, over here!"

_Hmm, Tama?_

There they were, Squad 207, with Miki calling him, waving her hands as she tried to get his attention. He sat beside her with Kei on her other side while in front of him was Chizuru and Meiya. They were already half-finished with their meals except for Chizuru since she just gave him a tour around the base.

"Finished the tour already?" Meiya asked as she noticed them.

"This guy didn't even need my help in the first place. I bet he could even walk and navigate this base with his eyes closed," Chizuru replied for the both of them.

"Nah, I don't think I could do that. I'm just prepared before coming here, Class Rep…"

"Class Rep?" The rest of the squad gave him questioning looks.

Chizuru sighed. "He kept calling me that during our tour. I tried to stop him but he just won't listen. He's just… ugh… I give up." She slumped on the table, glaring at him.

"Why call her Class Rep, Shirogane-san? Why not Platoon Commander?" Miki cutely asked.

"Well, just look at her; she gives off an aura of a Class Representative. Strict with the rules and would get angry for breaking them. She also wears glasses and has her hair in a pigtail. Definitely a Class Rep." Takeru answered confidently while Miki nodded like a child discovering something new.

"… Scary Class Rep," Kei added while nodding.

The rest of the squad followed suit, nodding at the realization, except for Chizuru, who was now fuming with red puffed up cheeks.

_Whoa, she's cute like this._ His heartbeat stopped for a moment from the sheer cuteness that the glasses girl was radiating.

_Very dangerous._

"I'm your Platoon Commander, not a Class Rep!"

_Damn, tsundere power levels over nine thousand._

"Also, I think Tama is perfect for her," Takeru pointed at Miki, trying his hardest to ignore the fuming Chizuru.

"Tama? Uguu… Shirogane-san, why did you name me like a cat?" Miki asked as she glared at him with beady eyes.

"Tamase, Tama. Perfect right? And you also give off this cute, kitten-like atmosphere that people just want to just cuddle you," he reasoned, with the rest of the squad agreeing with a nod, except for Miki, who could only blush. "Mah mah. It's just a nickname. My old friends say that I have a penchant for giving others names. Now that I think about it, let's all make an agreement with each other. You can all call me Takeru or any nickname you could think off and I will do the same. Deal?"

"Why, Shirogane-san?" Meiya asked, curious. Doubt on her face, mirrored by the rest of the squad.

"Well, with this we can be closer to each other. In the future, the bond that we will share with each other will boost group dynamics and teamwork, which will in turn be increasing our chances on completing a mission and the all-important survival rate."

They lowered their heads after they realized his point.

"And more importantly…"

They gulped, waiting for his next tirade.

However, Takeru only smiled and said, "I want to be closer to each of you, to get to know you. I want all of us to be friends."

Each of them stared at him wide-eyed, with mouths slightly hung open. After several moments, they blushed, trying not to look at him directly.

_Man, they're so cute. I think I now know how I'll die in the future, if not from G-bomb attacks or BETA, then from a cuteness induced heart attack._

"Well with that finished, for now, each of you can ask me questions. I'll try to answer them the best of my abilities."

They looked at each other, nodding, and then Chizuru started the interview.

"I'll be blunt, Shirogane-san."

"Takeru."

Chizuru coughed then continued, "I'll be blunt, Takeru-san… Can we expect something from you? Instructor Jinguuji—"

"Of course you can," he interrupted. "You can all rely on me."

"Well, we hope so…" Meiya replied after his bragging. "Given that the instructor said that you are a special person with high recommendations from the Vice-commander, we wish to know more of your skills."

"And with the Comprehensive Combat Skills Exam in a couple of weeks, all the more reason to know," Chizuru added.

"You'll find out sooner or later. Oh, and by the way, the exams might not be the same anymore."

"What!?" They gave him disbelieving looks; even Ayamine was surprised.

"Well… I heard from Yuuko-sensei that this time, a lot of things would be changed to give cadets more challenge. She thinks that the exams are being a bit redundant and might make TSF pilot's survival rate lower or something." He lied with a straight face. However, it would not be lie for long.

They nodded, believing his reasoning again.

"So what kind of exam is it this time?" Chizuru asked, clearly hoping that he knows the answer.

Takeru gestured for them to lean closer for him to whisper.

"Well, it's a…"

"It's a…?" They leaned more.

"It's a…" he drawled.

"It's a…" They leaned closer, again, now invading his personal space.

Takeru then beamed a smile at them as he placed a finger near his lips as he said, "It's a secret," making the girls face-fault on the table.

He snickered as they glared at him, trying to burn his existence with their gazes. Even Miki glared cutely at him.

"Mou… Takeru-san, you're mean," Miki said with a cute pout.

"That was inappropriate, Takeru." Meiya scolded.

"Meanie…," Kei said as she continued to stare at him with a seemingly emotionless face.

"What an idiot," Chizuru added, giving him another glare.

"Ha ha… sorry…. Still, half of what I said is true, so don't label me as a liar yet. We shouldn't expect the exam to remain the same, you never know, there might be a surprise waiting for you… Moreover, given that you guys already failed last time, even more so. In short, just go with the flow."

"Go with the flow?" they asked.

"Umm, it means to cope with adversity." In all his newly gained smarts, Takeru forgot about the culture-gap between the war torn world that he was in now, and his home world. "Don't worry, just train like you always do. This time, we'll surely pass because you have me, Takeru Shirogane."

They only smiled and shook their heads at his incredulous declaration.

"Takeru."

"Class Rep?"

"Don't forget the oath-taking tomorrow morning."

_Oath-taking? Oh, the UN Enlistment Oath!_ Again, he completely forgot, and it seemed that they knew basing from the look in their faces. They could only shake their heads again at his blunder.

"Really, what an idiot."

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (Yokohama Base Halls)

"A strange man, that Takeru Shirogane is," Meiya said, after Takeru left them to get ready for the oath taking, her mind full of thoughts about him. The squad was now heading back to the training area as they began their discussion with their latest, enigmatic squad member.

"Why, Mitsurugi-san?" Miki asked.

"Well, at the strange way he acts and speaks…. How should I say this? ….It was unusual.…"

"Instructor said that he was living in America for some time now, so maybe that's the reason." Chizuru reasoned.

"Maybe you are right. Still, with the way he interacts with us, it was as if we were his old acquaintances and know each of us intimately."

"Presence…" Kei added.

"Yes, he also gives off a strong aura of power, a powerful presence just like Ayamine said. Basing from the stories I heard from, and my interactions with, some people in the past, that kind of aura can only be exuded by bloodied warriors that faced and survived a thousand of battles. However, his was different. His was… pure, just, and kind, a trait of strong and charismatic leaders told in legends, where the path that they walked must be worshiped and the mere sight of them demands respect, awe, and praise. The same, no, he was even more intimidating than that man." _More intimidating than the Emperor_, a ridiculous and blasphemous thought, but she could not help it.

"…. Hiding...?"

"No, he is probably not aware of his effect on people, or maybe not. It is hard to read him, especially if he does not want to. He is only letting out a miniscule amount of it so he might be passively containing it. At that, we should be thankful, because we might just prostrate before him every time we meet him. Still, I shudder at the thought of what he will become in the future."

"Hmmph. Regardless, even if he was the second coming of Jesus, Buddha or whatever God out there, he's still just a new cadet," Chizuru said in annoyance.

"Umm… everyone…"

"What is it Tamase-san?" Meiya asked Miki.

"Umm… did anyone of you… umm… had flashing images at the first sight of… Takeru-san?" Miki asked as she fidgeted, obviously nervous about the question given how crazy it sounds.

Meiya flinched, remembering her own first encounter with Takeru Shirogane, remembering the sudden rush of emotions after the flashing of blurry images. It scared her, but, at the same time, excited her, as though her long lost love had finally come back to her. She never thought that she could experience such myriad of emotions, especially with her being an _Eishi_. Moreover, from the looks of it, the same thing happened to the others, with their blushing faces and uncomfortable postures.

"Dreams…" Kei murmured, but Meiya, and everyone, heard her.

"Are you having strange dreams too, Ayamine-san?" Miki asked.

Kei gave a single minute nod as a reply.

"I'm also having strange dreams, but, I can't really remember them. The only thing I know is that I always cry after them…." Miki added lowering her head a bit.

Meiya and the rest could only look solemnly at her, knowing full well what she's experiencing.

"Really… Strong presences, flashing images, sudden rush of emotions and now strange dreams. What's next, us becoming a singing group and becoming famous?" Chizuru said, annoyed.

-000-

(Vice-commander's Office)

"Yo, Yuuko-sensei," Takeru greeted the stunning woman in front of him as the door to her office closed behind.

"Yo to you too, whatever that means," she replied giving him a glare, looking up after writing some stuff on her desk.

"Are you still angry about what happened yesterday, Yuuko-sensei?"

She only intensified her glare.

"Can't you forgive me yet? You already have your revenge, talking to Marimo-chan about my so-called 'Childish Ideals'," he said while he gestured his hands with a quote and quote action.

"Hmph. A petty revenge. Not enough." She scoffed at him, clearly demanding more compensation for what he did. "So why are you here? To finish what you started? To demand more conditions? Blackmail me to have sex with you?"

"No. Yuuko-sensei, I just want to talk to Kasumi and Sumika."

"Sumika?"

"The brain…. Furthermore, I already got what I wanted, well except for your willing cooperation."

His reply was a condescending look.

"What are you talking about?"

Takeru then gave her a pleading look. "How about I'll help you with the equations after my talk with the girls in the other room?" Before she opened her mouth, he raised one of his hands to stop her and continued, "But even if you complete 00 Unit, you will still fail, given that 00 Unit will be unstable and useless after her awakening. You need me to stabilize her. Without me, you will fail." He gave her a piece of the truth while giving her a piercing look with his threat.

She just eyed him for several seconds then gave him a devilish grin as she said, "You're really good at this, Shirogane."

"Call me Takeru, _sensei_." He corrected her. "And I aim to please. Don't worry, _sensei_, I don't break my promises."

As he stepped through the door of Sumika and Kasumi's room, he heard her whisper, "I know."

-000-

(00 Unit's Room)

After the door closed behind, he saw Kasumi beside a large enclosure holding Sumika's brain. She has her long white hair tied in twin ponytails with bunny-ear-like-clips, having the same color scheme as her uniform, making her look like she has rabbit ears. With slate-blue eyes on her cute face, and small stature, she gives off an aura that just compels you to spoil her and smother her with affection. She was wearing a unique UN officer's uniform, a long black skirt and a black blouse with green trimmings with ruffled ends flayed from side-to-side and a green tie.

Kasumi was silently staring at Sumika, most likely having a telepathic conversation.

"Hello, Sumika, Kasumi."

_Ta…ke…ru…-chan?_

_Hmm._

_Huh? _Takeru suddenly heard voices in his head, making him wary of his current deposition as he spun to look for the source. _Am I going crazy?_

_Takeru-chan?! Takeru-chan! You came back! You really came back!_

_Welcome back, Takeru._

"Wait. Is that you Sumika? Kasumi?"

_Yup!_

_Yes._

Takeru's right eye twitched at the sudden bizarre situation. _Am I turning psychic?_

_Yup, it's nice isn't it…?_

_Nice._

He could do nothing but sigh as he neared them. Then he patted Kasumi's head and ruffled her hair while he gazed upon the temporary state of Sumika. Even though it was weird, he had come to accept the sudden revelation that he had become similar to Sumika and Kasumi, and thinking deeply into it, he decided that it was a good thing since with it; he could now talk to Sumika.

_Mou, I really want to hug you right now Takeru-chan._

_Don't worry Sumika, Yuuko-sensei and me will give you a body soon. I'm sure I can find a way. And this time, you will not need this vile liquid from the BETA to survive._ Still, talking with just their thoughts was just weird for Takeru. However, with this current development, a solution for his childhood friend's problem began forming in his mind.

_I know you can do it Takeru-chan. Because this time…._

His heart lightened at such praise, such confidence, such trust, towards him, from her.

_A ha… ha ha, yup, I'm the great Shirogane Takeru. I can do anything. After you get your body back and we have some free time, we will definitely have a picnic beside that tree on the hill behind the base with everyone…. You, Kasumi, Meiya, Class-Rep, Ayamine, Tama, Mikoto, Marimo-chan and Yuuko-sensei, heck, even Yuuhi, Tsukuyomi-san, the three idiots and the rest of the members of the Valkyries. It's going to be a fun celebration!_

And he would do anything to make it come true.

_I know it would be, Takeru-chan._

_But… you and Kasumi might hate me in the future Sumika…_

_I can never hate you, Takeru-chan!_

_Never._

Kasumi was shaking her head as she entered the mental discussion.

_With I have now in mind, I'm planning to revive you as soon as possible to make you and Kasumi join Squad 207 and undergo the same training I will give them at the Tropical Island. I need you all to be ready for my plans. Sorry._

_I'm willing to help you, Takeru-chan in any way that I can._

_Me too._

_Thank you._ He couldn't help but smile from their show of support. _I'm doing this so that you could protect yourselves in the future. I can't be always be there at your side, especially with the ensuing conflicts in the future. However, this time, I'll make sure that we will all have a good end._

_Right Takeru-chan, a good end!_

_A good end._

A good end, such a beautiful thought.

_You, Kasumi, and the rest of Squad 207 will help me give hope to humankind._

_How, Takeru-chan?_

_How._

A good end for everyone, seemingly impossible to achieve, but Takeru would make sure to make it come true.

_Aha ha ha, that would be telling. Don't worry it's going to be fun. For now, I'm going to help Yuuko-sensei. Look after Sumika for me, Kasumi._

_Mou, I'm not a child Takeru-chan!_

Kasumi nodded.

_Well then, see you, Kasumi, Sumika._

_See you Takeru-chan._

"See you."

With his regained will, he began the first steps of his plan.

-000-

(Yuuhi – The Oleander) (2001/10/23) (Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo – The Shogun's private quarters)

Yuuhi, a girl of violet hair tied in a ponytail and violet eyes, was sweating in her futon as she woke up from her sleep. She could not remember the dream, but strangely, she felt complete. She felt reassurance as though everything will be fine in the future, that soon, everyone will be happy. She wasn't sure what it was, maybe it was some fleeting dream of a more peaceful Japan, or maybe she's just slowly becoming crazy with all the stress of being the Shogun.

"Are you fine little one?" an old woman asked her, rushing to her side. She was the Grand Chamberlain, the woman that had been by her side since childhood.

"Nothing is wrong with me, _obasan_."

"You should take care of yourself, with the state of Japan now, your guidance is much needed. A good leader must have a good health."

"Ah… You are right. I should take care of myself more"

The old woman kindly smiled, reassured. Still, something inside her was telling her to prepare.

"_Obasan_? Do you know where _Nihongo_ is?"

"Why do you need such a weapon? Do you not feel safe with the Imperial Guards?" the Great Chamberlain asked, worry etched on her face.

"No _obasan_, I just got a feeling that I will be needing it in the future."

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (2001/10/23) (Vice-commanders' Office)

_This is outstanding! He said that I'm the one who made this…? Ho ho ho, I really am a genius!_ Yuuko thought as she studied the first fifty pages of the all-important equation, as she sat on her comfortable chair behind her desk. "Hooh, your memory is pretty good for someone who blackmails and gives threats to a beautiful woman."

"I can't deny that Yuuko-sensei, you are truly a beautiful woman," the young man in front of her said as he continued to write the rest.

_He's also good at complementing women eh… Nevertheless, most of this is useless, well that's just like me to hide things…, _she thought as she asked, "Why write all this nonsense when you could easily just give the equation. You are a Causality Conductor, right? You must be pretty smart, especially with all those loops."

"Isn't it much safer to write the equation like this? We really don't want this to be stolen aren't we?" He then gave her the last fifty pages.

"Right right… Hmm? I thought the other version of me only gave you a hundred pages, so why are you still writing?"

"This is for the improvements… I want Sumika's revival to be as smooth a possible, _sensei."_

"You really care for this Sumika, eh."

"Of course."

She stared at him for several seconds and then continued studying the rest of the pages.

"Can I ask you for another favor, _sensei_?"

"Eh? Well there's nothing I could really do to deny you anyway so ask away, oh great savior of mankind," Yuuko said with flourish, not hiding the insulting tone as she waved the hand that was holding the stack of papers containing the equation.

Takeru, though, never showed any signs of being offended. "Could you give me a clearance to go out of the base anytime for the next few days?"

"A what?"

"A clearance."

"What for? Are you going to become a vigilante on black at night to fight crime?" she asked, probing him.

"Tempting, but no, I'm going to meet people and gather some allies."

"So you're going to enter someone else's place without preamble, then ask, 'Can you save the world with me?' and hope that they'll prostrate in front of you?" she said, mimicking his voice, and giving him an evil grin.

He gave her a glance then continued on his work. "Believe me sensei, I can make anyone prostrate before me if I want to, even the Emperor of Japan." He stopped writing as he clenched his fists. "But that's just—"

"Mind control? Getting rid of peoples' free will? Denying them of the very reason they are human? Ha ha ha! I never thought you would be… he he… so pure, Shirogane." She laughed as she wiped a tear from her eyes from too much laughing.

He blushed at her remark.

"I thought we were the same, Shirogane, but… he he... you're just too good of a person." She then gave the young man one of her rare smiles. "That's why I'll trust you."

_And maybe…,_ she added in her thoughts.

"So… can you give me the clearance?"

"Sure," she assured him with a wave of her hand. "I'll also fund your travels if needed, just tell me where you go beforehand."

He smiled, nodded, and continued writing. _Sheesh, why is he always smiling?_

"By the way, Yuuko-sensei"

"Hmm?"

"Can you let Kasumi and Sumika join Squad 207?"

"Another favor? Moreover, aren't they already late, notwithstanding them being somewhat frail with the other just being a brain, especially with the nearing Comprehensive Combat Skills Evaluations? I don't think the 00 Unit and Kasumi can take the training."

"Well, with these equations," he waved the single piece of paper he was writing on, "Sumika will revive within this week, and with what I planned, well, let's just say they will become something to be feared by their enemies."

"If you say so… but why those girls? And here I thought you have a high moral ground. They might die you know."

He looked at her in the eyes and said, "Humans are on the brink of extinction, _sensei_. Every bit of help would be needed. In addition, I trust those girls with my life. That is why I am giving them their duty… their roles. I care for all of them, _sensei_. I am doing all of this to make them stronger, so this time they won't die… and with what I planned for them in the future, they never will," he spoke with such conviction, with such confidence and surety, and with hope, that it took Yuuko by surprise.

A sudden flash then came to her mind of a memory she knew she had, a memory with a young man in a lab coat and her crying on his chest in what looks like a laboratory. _"I will never let you fail, Yuuko."_

After that sudden flash of memory, she realized she was one of the women he.… Yuuko could only blush.

After several moments of silence, with Yuuko still on a blushing daze, Takeru finished with the equations. "Hope you could finish the preparations for her revival as early as possible, sensei." He stood up and then walked towards the entrance of her office.

"Goodnight," she said, with a hint of affection on her voice.

"Goodnight, Yuuko-sensei."

-000-

(Yokohama Base Barracks)

The sudden discovery that he had become telepathic made him think through things again, specifically the effects of the merging and its cause. He really should have thought about it the day before, but the soothing, confident, and calm feeling that he had, made him forgo such thinking, even though he had just experienced a grueling change. The sudden influx of personalities, memories, skills, and knowledge, he had just thought of such a momentous event as something normal, taking it for granted.

He was stupid.

The Ultramarine, a figure that he hid and had forgotten for many years, Takeru Shirogane was sure that the seeming figure was the trigger for the merging.

He was sitting on his bed, staring at it, probing it, thinking as to the significance of such a toy. As far as he could tell, the toy was just a…. toy, no crazy spirit possessing it or some other supernatural stuff, though if it did, he would not be surprised. Still, due to the figure, he ended up thinking of the game, the franchise that it had belong to.

"_Warhammer 40k_."

Back in his original world, Warhammer 40k, formally known as Warhammer 40,000, is a tabletop miniature war-game set in a dystopian science-fantasy universe, not something one should introduce to a seven year-old child like his father did given its harsh nature.

That memory with his father, the memory of him wanting to become the Emperor of Mankind, somehow it tugged strange impulses inside him. Again, delving his thought in such direction, he couldn't help but draw parallels with his current situation with those the Emperor of Mankind's origin, the merging and the world being torn in an apocalyptic war.

"_Age of Strife_ was it."

Age of Strife, from his knowledge of the game's world and history, it was the span of time the Emperor of Mankind united Terra into one entity. Takeru couldn't help but chuckle at the thought the he would do the same with the BETA infested Earth. Still, the XM3 was developed due to his experience with a mecha game and fighting games, so maybe making parallels with a grim-dark tabletop game was not so farfetched.

However, the question of the significance of the Ultramarine miniature figure, and how it became a trigger, was still looming in his mind, wracking his brain, which contained all the knowledge of humanity. The only thing that he could conclude was that it had somehow become a mental switch, coincidentally, which made his condition as a Causality Conductor go into hyperdrive, which had led to the Merging. It being a figure of a tabletop game and the parallels were just coincidences his over thinking brain just came up.

"Just a coincidence," he murmured to himself, unsure.

Still, the thought of using the technologies and concepts in the game was a good idea and can be possibly made into reality with his newly gained knowledge. He just hopes that such an action doesn't lead to a future similar to the game, but then again, humanity would not have a future if he wouldn't otherwise.

There was also that dream.

The twelve female giant figures, Gods, that awe inspiring space, the golden throne, the figure sitting on it, the planet Earth in front of him. Was there a significance? Does it have a meaning? There was also that voice that talked to him before he died…. Was it connected? It was all just too confusing, far too confusing even with his enhanced library of knowledge.

With such thoughts, he lay done on his bed, thinking of plans and their effects until sleep came to him.

-000-

(Chizuru – The Narcissus) (2001/10/24) (Yokohama Base Training Fields – Track Field)

Squad 207 began their daily training that morning after Takeru Shirogane finished his oath taking in the auditorium. The rest of the squad were now resting after ten laps around the track while the newest member was still running, something that interested and annoyed Chizuru at the same time.

"He even had the gall asking to run full gear. He even said, 'This isn't even making me sweat Marimo-chan. Can I run on full gear?' Ha! Talk about being arrogant." Chizuru complained, mockingly mimicking what Shirogane said.

"Bipolar…"

"What was that Ayamine!?"

_There she is again, trying to get on my nerves! _As usual, Kei had begun her usual tirade against her. Even if Chizuru tried not getting angry, the apathetic girl just keeps coming back, gnawing down upon her patience.

"Calm down guys, he's just enthusiastic, that's all…" Miki said trying to pacify the arguing girls.

"Well, he did say the truth about the given training being too easy on him. Look, even now, as he runs, it is as though he does not feel the extra load of the full gear, neither laboring breaths nor even a drop of sweat on his face." Meiya reasoned, helping Miki on her quest on making the two girls calm down.

Taking a god look at him again, Chizuru noticed what Meiya described, though she could not help but blush at the sight of him.

"He's amazing!" Miki said, obviously excited by the performance of the new cadet which had become more apparent as the days passed by.

"Hmph, I admit he's strong, very strong…" Chizuru gave Kei a glare, still angry with the stoic girl, and then turned to watch Takeru with his run.

"In denial…" Kei said, observing Takeru while he was running with a hint of red on her stoic face.

Chizuru scoffed, the red in her cheek increasing from black-haired girl's comment.

As the resting members of Squad 207 continued to watch Shirogane Takeru, they saw him suddenly trip near Instructor Jinguuji, accidentally touching her rear.

_Why that pervert!?_

"Eeeek!" the offended women yelled as the young man began to realize his transgression, horror now in Takeru's face. He suddenly bolted up and ran as far as he can, away from the rampaging woman.

"Shirogane! Stop now and face my wrath!" Chizuru heard Instructor Jinguuji yell at the new recruit.

"But you're angry, Marimo-chan!" Takeru shouted back.

"You! You touched my butt!" The now angry woman, aptly nicknamed Mad Dog, yelled back, absolute murder on her face.

"It was an accident! I suddenly tripped"

"Out of nothing!"

Chizuru and rest of the girls can only watch at the ridiculous scene, twitching at how the supposedly serious training turned comedic.

"He's funny…" Kei commented.

_What is wrong with her? _Chizuru thought as she said,"What an idiot." Still, she felt a small grin forming on her face.

After some rest and a severe, but comical, beating for Takeru's case, in courtesy of the Mad Dog, the squad began their close quarter's combat training. Sergeant Jinguuji decided to partner Takeru with both Meiya and Ayamine, the squad's resident experts in CQC, with the reason of Mikoto being absent. They couldn't really reason her out because of their unsuited number for pairings. Still, with the talents the young man Chizuru had seen so far, she could only assume that he was also good with hand-to-hand combat, an assumption that was further complimented with his smiling face, apparent lazy demeanor, and quick recovery from the beating he experienced.

Currently, the new recruit was just standing there, in front of both talented fighters.

Miki and her were now resting after their own session and were now watching Takeru, Meiya, and Kei begin their turn under the supervision of Instructor Jinguuji.

"Umm, you can both attack now…" he said, but his opponents just stared at him, waiting for him to get ready. Having no stance, the only conclusion was that he was not ready, at which Chizuru was annoyed with. Takeru then scratched the back of his head, seemingly nonchalant, but then, his demeanor shifted. "Come at me, both of you!" he suddenly ordered, which surprised Chizuru and the rest, a serious expression now on his face. "What are you waiting for, are you afraid, or are you just that weak!" he taunted which spurned the other combatants from inaction. Kei and Meiya then began to circle him.

With him outnumbered, Chizuru was sure of Takeru's defeat, as she saw Kei and Meiya launch a leg sweep and a punch respectively. However, surprise and pain were now on both female combatants' faces as Takeru caught Meiya's arm with a grip while not even flinching from Ayamine's attack. "Good, attacking at opposite sides of the enemy can divide his attention, but!" Meiya and Ayamine then widened their eyes in surprise as Takeru threw them a meter away without much effort. "The enemies are the BETA! They are inhuman monsters! Tactics can only hurt them so far, and most of the time, with overwhelming sacrifices. In a conflict, only absolute strength can triumph!"

Chizuru was speechless, her mind blank from such a declaration.

The downed fighters and those that were watching can only stare at him, intimidated with his overbearing presence.

His tone then turned gentle, belying his earlier overbearing presence, as he said, "It is the only way we can be sure that there will be little to no sacrifices. It is not that tactics are insufficient given its effectiveness as noted by history, repeatedly. Still, a true victory is a victory without losses, and it can only be achieved by an overwhelming show of power that the enemy, if they are human, will surrender without battle or win with next to none deaths on our side. And if they are BETA, then we can crush them under our glorious armies' marching feet!" He became more excited near the end, as though declaring his goals to his subjects as he marches on towards his armies' victory.

Chizuru shook her head in such an idea. _Takeru's army? That's ridiculous._

Then he paused, as if realizing something then relaxed his body. "Sorry everyone, I got a bit carried away there," he apologized, scratching the back of his head. He then stood straight again, back to his lazy demeanor. "But, what I said goes to all of you, Ayamine, Meiya, Tama, Class Rep, and Marimo-chan."

They nodded, understanding what he said.

"Ayamine, Meiya, let's continue."

Both of the downed fighters stood up with new fervor and began attacking with a series of combinations of punches, throws, grappling techniques, and kicks against Takeru, who only evaded and blocked some of them with fluid movements of a seasoned fighter, seemingly at ease, grinning.

"Wow…" Miki continued to stare, with a blush on her face and sparkles on her eyes, an obvious admiration to the young man in front of her.

"Hmph!" Chizuru scoffs, "He's still an idiot… a talented, amazing and…" her face was as red as a tomato. _What is wrong with me?_

Chizuru also saw Instructor Jinguuji smiling with a hint of a blush on her cheeks, as she continued to supervise the training. In the end, she decided a rotation on CQC training pairings for the girls with Takeru as the battle partner, which continued until lunch.

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (2001/10/24) (Yokohama Base Training Fields – Track Field)

Meiya was running laps on the track field under the night sky, with the moon as her only witness, when she saw the figure of a person walking towards the gates of Yokohama Base. _Suspicious_, she thought as she neared the shadowy figure.

"Takeru?" she called at the figure, recognizing him as the young man that was suddenly becoming a huge part on her life.

"Meiya? Ah it is you," he replied with his hands inside his training jacket.

"What are you doing here at night?"

"Well, I decided to walk around for some fresh air. It's really boring to just stay in my room you know."

"Ah, right."

"So, why are you running laps, Meiya? Are you being punished?"

"No, of course not, I am training, a part of my daily routine. You see, I wish to become an Eishi as soon as possible."

"Oh? Can I ask why?"

_Can I answer him? Nevertheless, it is just too easy to trust him. Maybe I should just say it. There is nothing wrong with talking about one's reasons and dreams_, she thought.

"It is but a simple reason of protecting something." Meiya's gaze turned towards to the empty hill overlooking the base, looking at the recognizable old Cherry tree. "This planet" she murmured, "The people of this country and Japan as a nation." She then turned and asked the young man in front of her, looking at his eyes, "What about you Takeru? Do you have something to protect?"

He laughed.

He laughed after she revealed her dreams, her goals, herself.

_Such a boorish man! And here I was thinking I could trust him. Now he laughs at me and my reason for existence!_ she thought as she gave him a very intense glare. "Are you insulting me, Shirogane?"

"Ah, no... he he… Meiya, it is not you that I am laughing at. You see, compared to your reasons, mine is bit childish and may seem to be somewhat selfish. Most people actually don't take me seriously when I say it."

She continued to glare at him.

He sighed and said, "As I child, I dreamed of protecting everyone, and I mean protecting all of mankind. Along the way, I have forgotten about it, but recently something happened and now this thought drives me now. Still, what I really want is to protect those that I really care about. You see, they are the reason that I continue to exist right now and I will give anything for them to continue smiling and enjoy life as long as possible, even my own life. Those are the reasons of my existence, the very core of the person named Takeru Shirogane."

She felt his grief, guilt, conviction, and hope for the future as she heard him.

It was humbling.

_What happened to him? Childish? What was so childish of his reasons? They were from his heart and even I could not deny that, and here I was, angry at him at a misunderstanding, when I was the one who cannot even be honest with herself…_.

She gave him a gentle smile, forgiving the young man from his earlier transgression.

Takeru blushed then said with a stutter, "A-a-anyways, I think I'm gonna do some laps, want to join me?"

"No, I have just finished with my own, perhaps some other nights. Goodnight, Takeru."

"Goodnight, Meiya."

Meiya then turned her back from him and left for her quarters, a smile still on her face.

_See you… Takeru_, she added to her thoughts as she remembered a memory she was sure she never had.

-000-

(Yokohama Base Training Fields – Track Field)

As Takeru saw Meiya walking away, a headache and a flash of her last moment moments came to him. "_At the very least, I wish for the man I love to be the one to send me to my grave…"_

Traumatizing, despairing, cursing on his own stupidity, Takeru ground his teeth in frustration. _Why am I so blind!? So stupid!?_

"Sorry, Meiya…."

However, it was not the time think of such thoughts; for he must finish the agenda he had tasked himself for the night, a step that must be done so that such a tragic thing would not happen, again.

_Never again._

After some time, making sure Meiya was out of sight, he began to proceed to his destination. While showing to the guards the clearance, which he got from Yuuko, he tried to banish his depressing thoughts. As he waited for verification, he thought of the new TSF OS, the XM3, specifically the simulations that he must undergo the next day to complete it. _Yuuko-sensei was really surprised when I said that the idea came from a commercial video game._

The guard then gave him back the clearance after checking its validity. He nodded at him and then continued his short journey. Outside the gates, he began to circle the perimeter of Yokohama Base, hoping to find the man he was looking for. A couple of hours of walking around, he noticed some noise in the nearby ruins.

"You can come out now, Sakon Yoroi!" he called out to the hiding figure.

Takeru then heard footsteps from the darkness of the ruins, as a man with blue hair and a smug look in his face appeared. It was Mikoto's dad, Sakon Yoroi, who was in his usual suit and fur fedora hat. "Hooh, you're pretty good, young man. And such patience too."

"Meh, I'm just talented." Takeru shrugged. "So, why are you skulking around the perimeters?"

"Well, you see, young man, I was walking around the ruins just minding my own business when I heard someone humming Beethoven's _Ode to Joy_, which by the way is one of my most favorite classical pieces of all time. I then tried to follow the sound, which then lead me to here. But before that, there was this black cat the crossed in front of me. So to avoid bad luck, I took a detour. Black cats are bad you know, though they are pretty cute as kittens. After that, a girl suddenly came around the corner saying 'I'm late! I'm late!' who ended up bumping into me. We both fell on the concrete road, and you know what, I saw her panties. Good fortune I must say. After all that, I then heard a young man walking around, who ended up calling my name, how he knows it was quite a mystery, so here I am."

It was the usual nonsense from.… _Wait a moment; is that a reference on several anime cliché's back in the old world? _Takeru shook his head from bewilderment. _Nah, just a coincidence…. Right?_

"So, who are you, young man?"

"Shirogane, Takeru Shirogane"

"Hmm… Takeru Shirogane eh…. Why does a young man like you in a place like this?"

"Just like you, walking around, minding my own business."

"Of course, but why are you in a place like this?" He asked again, this time with an edge in his voice.

"Okay, let's just cut the meaningless chit-chat, I want to ask you a favor, Yoroi-san."

"Suddenly asking favors the first time we meet, curious, very curious. So what it is that you ask, Takeru Shirogane?"

"I want the location and daily schedules and appointments of the Japanese Prime Minister, Kurechika Sakaki, the UN-secretary General, Genjousai Tamase, the head of the Takatsugu Household, Ikaruga Takatsugu, The Yokohama Base Commander, General Paul Radhabinod, and Takahashi Ichimonji."

"Most of these people you asked for are high profiled, young man, well except for this Ichimonji guy. Hmm, what is your aim?"

Takeru shrugged. "Let's just say my aim is to save mankind."

Sakon Yoroi grinned. "Pretty noble are we."

"It's necessary. I want to gather funds and allies for what I'm planning in the future."

"And very trusting too."

"You're the father of Mikoto; of course I'll trust you."

Whether Sakon was affected by the mention of Mikoto, he didn't' show it.

"I want your help to save this world."

"Ambitious are we, what's in it for me?"

"You're going to see the rise of a new age for mankind."

"People are not moved by just promises, Takeru Shirogane."

A fact that was true in Takeru's old world and in the current one that he's trying to save. So with no other choice, he said, "Then I'll leak classified information that will destroy this country." It was a lie actually, though the dangerous information truly existed, and Takeru was familiar with its every gritty detail, and would never think twice on using it.

"You offer peace in one hand, and you blackmail in the other, quite laughable."

"I know, but the same could be said to everyone who holds power and those with ambitions."

"True…. But you should be careful with what you say or you would be dead before you now it." Sakon suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed it at him, his eyes cold, showing how used he was with the practice.

"…."

"…."

They stared at each other for several minutes, unflinching and unmoving. _I don't care if you kill me. I'll come back again, I'll try again, no one will stop me!_

"…."

"…."

Until Sakon laughed as he brought down his gun and placed it back into his suit. "A ha ha! Interesting young man you are, Takeru Shirogane."

Takeru took a breath in relief. However, just to be sure, "And you're going to see Mikoto doing something unique," he sweetened the deal as he rubbed his hands like a sleazy dealer.

"Alright! I'll do it," he said with anticipation on his face. After nodding to himself several times, he turned around without saying goodbye and began to walk away.

"Wait!"

"Hooh, want to ask more favors?"

"It's about the graduation; I want you to attend it."

"Why, Takeru Shirogane?"

"It's for Mikoto," he said, not being able to mask the hint of affection on his voice as he said her name.

Sakon turned around and raised his eyebrows at his last statement. He then grinned.

"Of course, young man. But isn't that event still far off?"

"Don't worry, it will happen much earlier. I'll make sure of it."

Sakon gave him a questioning look and then shrugged as he continued walking way.

"Meet me here tomorrow, Takeru Shirogane," he said before disappearing into the ruins under the darkness of the night.

-000-

(Chizuru – The Narcissus) (2001/10/25) (Yokohama Base – One of the Lecture Rooms)

Chizuru and the rest of the members of Squad 207 were now having lecture training with their instructor, Sgt. Marimo Jinguuji, who was explaining the use of explosives in a fictional scenario on how to disable an enemy's rear guard. They were listening intently to the instructor's lecture, but sometimes Chizuru couldn't help but steal glances—which she noticed were also being done by her squad mates—at the young man sitting on the back, who was slumped on his table, sleeping. Chizuru could only curse on his audacity, while Instructor Jinguuji was rapidly losing her temper at Takeru's blatant inattention.

"Shirogane!" the Instructor yelled.

"Five more minutes, Sumika… Don't shake me…. It's Sunday… Why are you sitting on my stomach...? No… not the Drill Milky Way Punch...," the sleeping cadet only mumbled as a reply.

_Sumika? _Chizuru thought, somewhat feeling jealous and annoyed. It was strange for she doesn't know anyone named Sumika. _And why do I even care?_ However, from what she could observe from her squad mates, they were most likely thinking of the same. _What is happening to us?_

The instructor was now fuming with rage, full of righteous anger, as she threw the book she was using for the lecture. However, to her further ire, the young man only slapped the dangerous projectile away; still, it made Takeru wake up.

"Huh? Marimo-chan is it lunch yet?"

"No!"

"Ah, okay." Then he got himself comfortable again on the table, sleep clearly his primary agenda.

"Shirogane!"

"Huh? Marimo-chan?"

"It's Instructor Jinguuji to you Shirogane!"

"Instructor?" he asked, confusion marring face. Then he looked around, "Ohhh…" he muttered as if in sudden realization.

"Shirogane! Repeat what I just said right now! If you know well enough to stop listening and sleep in my class, then it should be no problem right?"

"Ah… he he he… Sorry, Marimo-chan."

"It's Instructor Jinguuji! Geez… and we went out of our way to alter the curriculum just for you, and for what, when you just sleep in class!" Instructor Jinguuji said while shaking her head.

They were now worried about the young man. Chizuru would have raised her hand and answered for him, if not for him standing up to answer the question. "You were giving a what-if scenario where a support unit disrupts the enemy's rear guard facilities just before the actual operation." The instructor was surprised then schooled her expression back to neutral, showing that Takeru was in the right direction of his answer. Chizuru and the other members of Squad 207 were also surprised, given that he was sleeping before during the lecture. "So it will be ideal to blow apart a high-voltage cable leading out of their facility."

"Oh? Why is that?" the instructor asked, the rest of the squad now in full attention to the young man's explanation.

"In this given scenario, disabling the radar would be perfect so as to leave the facility intact. With that, our forces will be able to use it later. It would also be less risky than attacking the enemy's base itself and one would not use as much explosives. This way, not only you accomplish the given mission, you will also increase the survivability of your comrades, which for me, is the most important part of the mission. That's all."

The instructor only gave an approving nod and said, "You may be seated. You're pretty good, for someone who sleeps in my class that is. Try to stay awake and pay attention next time, understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" He then sat on his chair, still sleepy, sometimes shaking his head to stay awake.

"Okay Squad 207, we will now have a 10 minute break!" Sgt. Jinguuji then announced, spurning Chizuru and the other members of Squad 207 to approach Takeru's seat.

"That was amazing, Takeru-san." Miki was the first to praise the young man. "You were a genius!" she added with sparkles on her cat-like, green eyes.

"Indeed. I too am impressed." Meiya followed, nodding, with Chizuru behind her. "You are quite clever for using their facility for our own use. I would have opted to sneak into the base and destroy the radar."

"Hmph, that was pretty obvious. At least you are smart enough. It's nice to know that I have a member like you as a part of my squad," Chizuru said with a bit of flair and arrogance as she tried to mask the growing emotion inside of her.

"Ingenious plan…" Kei further added as she stared, seemingly emotionless, at the young man.

"Umm… Thank you…." Takeru gave lackluster reply while scratching the back of his head.

"Takeru is certainly dedicated, that much I am sure," Meiya added folding her arms. "I have witnessed some of his independent studies the other night. Maybe that is why he was sleeping. Regardless, we will be having field stripping for our next class."

Somehow, Chizuru couldn't help but be excited at the prospect.

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (Yokohama Base Training Fields)

An hour later, the cadets of Squad 207 were now field stripping with Instructor Jinguuji's guidance. She first showed them how it was done, of which they followed after. Meiya was not really fond of firearms, but in this time of crisis, any advantage she could have with humanity's common enemy must not be taken for granted. She and her comrades were concentrating on their own rifle assembling exercise when they heard someone announce, "I'm finished."

They paused on their rifle assembling and stared at Takeru and his handiwork.

"Eh? Already?" the instructor said with surprise again evident of her face due to the sheer talent the young man was showing in front of her. "One minute and forty-eight seconds…"

"No way!" Chizuru said in disbelief.

"Cheater…" Kei said in a table next to the new cadet.

"Hey! I didn't cheat. I'm just that awesome." Takeru defended himself.

"No two hands can do it that fast," Meiya said with a critical look on her eyes as she gazed at the weapon the only male of their group assembled. _What are you Takeru? No normal human can do that._

On the other hand, Miki was now jumping excitedly at the spectacle. "Awesome, Takeru-san!"

"Quiet. I'll check it." Sgt. Jinguuji said as he picked up the assembled rifle, checking the parts meticulously. "Hmm… I don't see anything wrong with it. But that was quick, too quick for a normal human, if I must say."

"Takeru isn't human…."

"Oy! I'm as human as one can get, Ayamine," Takeru responded, a tick mark now on his head at Kei's comment.

"Have you done this before, Shirogane?" the instructor asked.

"Well…."

"Well?"

Somehow, Meiya was getting a sense of déjà vu at such a scene.

"Well…"

"Well?"

"It's a secret!"

Sgt. Jinguuji suddenly face-faulted on the ground, however, after the comedic reaction, the downed woman was releasing a dark aura, slowly rising from her prone position, as absolute fear crept up on Takeru's face. He suddenly stiffened and then ran as far as he can from the rampaging woman.

"You come back here, Shirogane!" she yelled as she gave chase.

"I don't want to die, Marimo-chan!" he yelled back

"And call me Instructor Jinguuji!"

Meiya and the rest of the girls could only watch as the seemingly comedic duo ran around the field

-000-

(Yokohama Base PX)

_Man…. Marimo-chan really did a number on me, _Takeru thought as he rubbed his swollen cheeks from the beating that he got from Marimo._ Thankfully, I heal fast. Brrr…. She's really scary when she's mad. Still, it's really fun to tease her, especially with her puppy-like expression._

"You're super amazing, Takeru-san!" Miki praised him excitedly with sparkles on her eyes. _Damn, must... contain... inner lolicon…_

"He he he, I do my best."

"Do not sell yourself short Takeru. You were really impressive," Meiya further added.

"Have you been conscripted before Shiro—Takeru?" Chizuru asked.

"That is true. You are far from a normal cadet."

Suddenly, there was a cluttering sound heard on one side of the cafeteria table they were dining on. There, he saw a needle, a magnet, a bulky mobile phone, and several other objects of unknown purposes.

"We need to test…" Kei said as she picked up a magnet and proceeded to wave it around Takeru's head.

"The hell are you doing, woman!?" he asked in astonishment. _Seriously, who wouldn't, when someone suddenly pokes your face with magnet?_

"Test…" she stoically replied as she replaced the magnet with a large, bulky mobile telephone.

"Um... okay…." _I really don't get you, Ayamine._

"You see… we thought you're some kind of a new breed of a super soldier or maybe a cyborg!" Miki sheepishly confessed, though she got excited at the end of her statement.

"Okay…" he replied then flinched as Kei began to poke the skin on his one arm with a needle.

"Red blood… Disappointing…."

"Of course it's red! What do you expect!?" _Man, this woman is really getting on my nerves._

However, Kei just ignored him and continued with her so-called _tests_.

"Umm… hello guys…"

_That voice… Mikoto? _Takeru's heart suddenly went overdrive, beating so fast that his breathing labored.

He turned to the direction the voice came from, and there she was, with her blue hair and brown eyes, and a small stature and flat as a board chest. No doubt about it, it was Mikoto Yoroi. _Well… I'm sure she's a girl this time…._

"Oh, Yoroi-san, are you already well?" Meiya asked the androgynous blue-haired girl.

_Please be a girl…_

"A ha ha, of course! But something strange happened to me you see, the doctor said that I would be staying for a week or two more but for some reason I got an early discharge. And you know something?" Mikoto began her nonsensical monologue. "The television there was great, so many channels, and I don't even have to do anything. I just lied on my bed and watched many shows! It was awesome, there was even a show about a girl and boy, who went through an awesome adventure, though sometimes it felt forced, still it had a good ending. Sometimes I wish I could stay there forever. Aha ha ha, but that would be impossible." _Ah, good ol' Mikoto._ "Also, I was having these strange dreams that I could not even remember. I always ended up crying when I wake up..."

_Hmm, strange dreams? _

Suddenly Mikoto paused on her usual nonsense as her gaze landed on him, her eyes seemingly in a daze with a hint of red on her cheeks. _Maybe she's still not well…_

"Ah… ah… Umm…. W-who are you?" she asked, stuttering as she stared at him.

"Hello there. I'm the newest member of the squad, Takeru Shirogane, but you can call me Takeru. And you?" Takeru feigned ignorance.

"Ah… Mikoto Yoroi, same…."

"Umm… are you fine, Mikoto?"

"… I'm alright, Takeru-san…"

Somehow, he saw some veins on the temples of some members of the squad, confusing him. _Are they angry? Maybe they feel left out from our conversation._

"Umm… Yoroi-san…" Miki called out the dazed Mikoto.

"Ah… Miki-san? It's been a long time! Hooo! Chizuru-san, Meiya-san, and even Kei-chan!" Mikoto replied, recovering from her glassy-eyed state. _Seriously, you almost forgot about them?_ "I really missed you all. Yay! It's like one of those reunions!"

She then turned to look at him.

"Hey! Are you the guy Miki-san always talks about? You know, about how you were really cool, strong, and dreamy. She even said that you were like an emperor with your powerful presence and overwhelming talents. Whaaa! Are you really that awesome?" she asked him excitedly, with him twitching at her ridiculous claims.

"Yoroi-san!"

"Aha ha ha, sorry, Miki-san. Well, see you guys."

"Hey, wait!"

"Oh, hello again, Takeru-san."

"You haven't even left yet!"

"Aha ha ha, details, details."

She really was similar to her dad. Thinking about Sakon, Takeru hoped that he already had the information that he asked for.

"What are you saying about what Tama told you?" he asked the odd blue-haired girl.

"Tama? Ahh, Miki-san…. Oh, on how awesome you are?"

"Not that, the emperor bit. Isn't it a bit too much, it might insult the real emperor you know…"

Meiya nodded on what he said, agreeing.

"Well… it's just that, that's what I think is the most appropriate to describe you, Takeru-san," Miki defended.

"How about we use the English, _The Emperor_, to call Takeru instead of the Japanese, _Tennō_, and with that, we won't be insulting anyone. Still, it is just a name, even if it's a bit lavish." Meiya said offering a solution to Miki's dilemma.

The rest nodded, while Miki beamed a smile.

"Heee…. _The Emperor_, eh… A bit lavish like Meiya said, but I take what I can have. Then how about I also give you guys monikers too, you know, just to be fair. It's going to be fun."

"Names? Monikers? Well… it would only be fair," Chizuru commented at his suggestion as the rest agreed.

"Yup, well, let's start with Mikoto here." He pointed at the blue-haired girl.

"Eh, me?"

"Well, how about, _The Coreopsis_. By the way, Coreopsis is a flower that looks like a smaller version of a sunflower."

"Why, _The Coreopsis_?" Mikoto asked.

"You see, even if we only met, I feel that you're the type of girl that will always be cheerful, even when things around you say otherwise. You are like a small sun, a source of light, on a world full of darkness."

The rest of the squad nodded, agreeing with his observation on Mikoto's character. An expected outcome since he had known her for almost forever, same as the rest of the girls. Takeru already knew them all too well, that was why….

"Hee, you're good at this Takeru," Chizuru commented again as Mikoto blushed.

"Thank you. Next would be Tama." He pointed at the pink-haired girl.

"Yay!" she exclaimed, excited for her turn.

"I think, _The Saintpaulia_, would be perfect for you, due to your small stature and delicate looks, which has its own charm by the way. But even with those attributes, you have the fortitude and strength to face and endure any hardships and challenges that would come in your way, just like the flower."

"Yay! My favorite flower! Did you know that I'm growing some Saintpaulia in my room?"

"Nope, not a clue…" Takeru, again, feigned ignorance.

"I think I notice a pattern here, Takeru. Why name us from flowers?" Chizuru asked.

"Right you are, Class Rep. Well, I decided to name you from flowers because I think that it would be the most appropriate for each of you, especially basing from your personalities. In addition, it's only right for lovely young girls such as yourselves to be named from such beautiful creations."

They all blushed at his reasoning. It seemed that somehow the rest of the squad was excited of the prospect of being given monikers.

"Continuing on, Ayamine here would be, _The Edelweiss_, with your daring attitude usually hidden on how you usually acts stoically, a girl full of noble courage and will face on any enemy even with only her bare hands."

"Hmm, _The Edelweiss_…"

"Class Rep, you would be, _The Narcissus_, since I think you're a hard working girl with a lot of hidden talents and a strong belief on yourself. You don't doubt you actions and will push forward at any obstacles that you may cross in your path."

"_The Narcissus?_"

"Lastly, Meiya. _The Lily_ would be perfect for you. You see, I noticed the majestic demeanor you always have when doing things. You also exude beauty and purity that would leave any normal man speechless. Still, even with all these traits, you have humility, which makes people respect you."

"Lily…."

"You're not just good at this naming thing, Takeru. You're really good," Chizuru commented with a blush after he finished.

"It is as if you already know each of us intimately," Meiya added with Ayamine nodding, both had reddened cheeks.

"Nah, this was just a spur of a moment. Still, I really think those names suit you guys."

"Wow! You really are awesome just like Miki-san said, Takeru-san," Mikoto enthusiastically said with Miki by her side, pure admiration in their eyes.

_Names and monikers, seemingly insignificant in a first glance, but I'm sure they will be remembered… for a long time. _

-000-

(Yuuko – The Black Rose) (TSF Simulator Room)

"Why are you rushing things, Shirogane?" Yuuko said as she monitored the young man's simulation. "You haven't even done the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation yet."

"You already know the answer to that question, Yuuko-sensei. Trust me on this. We will need the new OS as soon as possible, and with what I planned, the evaluations will be replaced with something more productive. Well, with the help from some influential people that is, like you, _sensei_," he replied while destroying his enemies on the simulator.

"Hee, but if you change a lot of things, wouldn't it affect the time-line. Your knowledge of the future would be useless…."

"It was already useless when I first arrived. We can only hasten our preparations for the coming storm." He cleared another wave as he said that last statement, with the third wave of Training Course B swarming in.

"Really?"

"Changing the future is one of my priorities, Yuuko-sensei. And from what I've seen and experienced, you would've also want it changed." Ten enemy TSF's were then destroyed from a single wave of his TSF's gun, as though he was not having a conversation with her.

"Sure… at least I could use the XM3 as a bargaining chip in the future."

"Of course, _sensei_, that's one of its major uses. With the XM3, we could acquire more influence and funds in the future to develop more technologies for fighting the BETA."

"Heee… so what's next?" The simulator indicated the coming of the fourth wave, the last wave already gone in the screen. _He really is an amazing pilot, and he is not even wearing a TSF suit_, Yuuko thought while watching Takeru inside the simulator, still in his cadet uniform.

"Well, I wanted to ask your permission to go to America alone this coming Saturday, maybe after the daily training. I need to talk to some people who could help us in the weapons development department."

"Sure, just let me rip the vinyl wrap of the new TSFs that would be made in the future."

"Absolutely, Yuuko-sensei."

Even though he's discussing things with Yuuko, obviously not concentrating on the simulation, he still breezes through the simulation. Most squads could not even make it after the third or fourth waves. Still, he was receiving some damage indicated by the sometimes-decreasing HP bar, proving he is fallible._ But his skills, the way he pilots, the way he fights, it's just not normal_, she mused in her thoughts, staring at the young man and the simulation.

As the time limit reached zero, Takeru opened the simulator's door.

"You really are one of a kind, Shirogane," Yuuko said as she clapped.

"Meh, I manage," The young man said with a grin on his face as he shrugged, but then he tripped on the simulator's entrance, clumsily waving his hands to maintain balance. However, he accidentally touched her forehead with a finger.

A single touch, just a single touch, and then a surge of memories came to Yuuko, memories she never had: memories of another world, of another place, and of another time, memories of a peaceful life with him by her side. Emotion came gushing from within, surging more than she had experienced that fist time she met him. Such strong emotions that she had to give her all not to break down and cry. Still, her body stiffened, forcing herself not to embrace him, as he managed to maintain his balance, now looking at her with a worried face. She could only do one thing to maintain her composure as she remembered what he did.

Yuuko punched him in the face.

"Why did you punch me!?" He said, rubbing his reddened nose.

Yuuko forced herself to give him her patented devilish grin.

"Eh? It's payback for blackmailing me."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Your point?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Say, this world is really fucked, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"I remember, Shirogane."

"W-what? Wait, you mean!?"

"It seems that you being Causality Conductor have given you something troublesome, though I think it would be useful in some instances."

"So you're saying that I can give other people their memories from alternate worlds."

"Heeh, you're still the naïve boy that I know, Shirogane."

"A-ah….."

"Anyway, I think you could use this with that business of yours in America."

"Y-yeah."

"Heh, where's your smug attitude now, Shirogane?"

"…."

Takeru was speechless, which fanned Yuuko's ego, in turn, helping her curb her own overflowing emotions. Still, she decided to change topic, giving mercy to the young man in front of her.

"So, this people that you're going to meet… can they really be trusted?" Yuuko asked, concerned.

"Y-yeah, you see, they were my most trusted aides on a world where I was the young owner of an international company."

"World? Perfect! Though I advise you to wear gloves, Shirogane."

"You say so, but why didn't the same thing happened with the others?"

"Hmm, did you touch their forehead? Or their head?"

"Well, there's Kasumi."

"Irrelevant, I think she already remembers."

"So… when I touch other people in the head, they gain memories of their alternate selves."

"Right. Still, I think there are more conditions to this… new ability of yours, Shirogane."

"T-this is just surreal."

"Why are you still surprised, when you had already experienced a lot?"

"It's just that…."

"Keep an open mind, Shirogane, it will do you good. Still, I advise you to take up wearing gloves from now on to avoid accidents like this."

"I'll try…. By the way, sensei, about the preparations for Sumika's revival..."

"Ready for tomorrow," she assured the young man.

"Thanks… Well, I'll go talk to her and Kasumi now. Good luck, Yuuko-sensei," Takeru said as he left for 00 Unit's room.

"Yeah, yeah," Yuuko replied as she gazed at his leaving back, fighting the urge to reach out to him, to call out his name.

The moment that he left, Yuuko fell down to her knees, hugging herself: weeping, murmuring his name, crying tears of joy. "Takeru…."

-000-

(00 Unit's Room)

"Hey girls, I'm here again," Takeru greeted Kasumi and Sumika, as he entered the room.

_Ah, Takeru-chan!_

"Hello."

Sumika and Kasumi greeted him back respectively in their own ways.

_Good news Sumika, tomorrow you will have your new body_. He began to talk to Sumika telepathically as he neared them.

_Really, Takeru-chan?_

_Yup, and this time, you won't need the reactor to purify yourself anymore…._

_How, Takeru-chan?_

_Well, this time with the help of the improved equations and the revelation that I am also psychic, I will have you make a psychic link with me. With that, we could circumvent your need for purification just by being near me several times. You could continue functioning even if the BETA superior dies._

_Are you sure, this is going to work? You might get hurt..._

_Don't worry about me, Sumika, I already reviewed the equation several times, and with my unique condition, the linking would be just fine._

_Thank you, Takeru-chan._

_Thank you. _Kasumi suddenly hugged him, further showing her thanks.

_Don't mention it girls… By the way, I gave monikers to the present members of Squad 207. I named them from flowers._

_Hee, that's nice for them._

_Nice._

_Well, I could also give you two names from flowers too, you know._

_Really, Takeru-chan?_

_Un._

Kasumi looked up to him, excitement showing on her usually emotionless face.

_Of course, let's start with Kasumi. I think, The Lotus, would be perfect for you, given your mysterious aura and your apparent honesty that I know you have. _Takeru smiled at Kasumi, who blushed.

_The Lotus._

_Of course, now for you, Sumika, well how about, The Carnation, for what reason, he he he, let's just say it's due to you being cute and spunky._

_Mou…. But I like it, Takeru-chan!_

_Marimo-sensei and Yuuko-sensei._

_Right, Takeru-chan, what about Marimo-sensei and Yuuko-sensei?_

_Well, since they're best friends and somewhat polar opposites of each other…. How about I name Marimo-chan as, The White Rose, and Yuuko-sensei as, The Black Rose, as for the reason, maybe it would be for next time, is that fine?_

_Well done, Takeru-chan!_

_Well done._

_A ha ha, thanks, hope you're ready for tomorrow Sumika since Yuuko-sensei just gave the green light for you to have your body._

_Of course, Takeru-chan!_

_I'll make sure_. Kasumi gave him a single nod.

_Thanks Kasumi, well that's all I have to report to you girls today. _He then saluted playfully.

_Aha ha ha, Takeru-chan, you're funny._

Kasumi smiled at his antics.

_Well, see you, Kasumi, Sumika._

_See you Takeru-chan._

_See you._

-000-

(Outside the Perimeters of Yokohama Base)

Under the darkness of the night, Takeru waited for Mikoto's dad for about two hours until he heard the telltale signs of a person walking towards him. He was now wearing s pair of white cotton gloves just like what Yuuko advised.

"Man, you're late."

"A ha ha, sorry for that, Takeru Shirogane. You see, I saw this old woman having a hard time crossing the street and as an upstanding Japanese citizen, I was compelled to help her. She told me she had leg problems and osteoporosis. Now that I think about it, I'm already getting on the age myself. You know, milk is good for your developing bones—"

"Stop! Okay, okay, I get it. So, you have what I asked for?"

"Sure."

He then gave Takeru an envelope.

"So what are you going to do with those, young man?"

"I just want to talk to these men in secret, much faster and lesser hassle than asking for their audience one by one."

"Ah right, I for one agree to that, Takeru Shirogane, though it would be hard. You would most likely be gunned down you know."

Takeru just nodded gratefully at Sakon said, ignoring the fact that he could die with his current path, and began to walk away to start making his plans a reality.

"Shirogane, what is your goal? Why do you risk everything?" Sakon asked.

Takeru stopped walking and said, "I already told you, Yoroi-san. I want to save mankind and protect those that are dear to me."

"Is Mikoto-chan one of these precious people that you talk about?"

He turned his head to look at Sakon and grinned. "Absolutely!" He then turned back and continued his journey to accomplish his goal for the night.

"Then good luck, son-in-law."

Takeru could imagine a grin forming on Sakon's face as he heard him whisper.

-000-

**Author's Notes**

To those that are familiar with the original, yes, I have discarded the idea of the Ultramarine talking. Now it would be just a trinket, though a point of mystery that Takeru would mull over in the span of this story, a plot device to be exact. In addition, Takeru will not become a pseudo-Accelerator, since if he did like the original, he wouldn't need a TSF to pawn BETA…. And yeah… moe emotional Yuuko!

I think that's all for now. Thank you for the reviews, the favs, and the follows. I'll gladly take any criticisms and reviews for this story. Thank you for reading and good day.


	3. Chapter 3 - Falling Into Place

**Arc 1 – A Very Long Prologue**

Disclaimer: âge, Sega, and Games Workshop owns Muv-Luv, Sakura Taisen, and Warhammer 40k Franchises and their characters respectively.

**Chapter 3 – Falling Into Place**

(Haruko – The Chrysanthemum) (2001/10/25) (Niigata Prefecture – Somewhere in the Japanese Defense Line)

The sound of TSFs moving was deafening, every step of its mechanical feet making Second Lieutenant Haruko Kashiwagi flinch. She is a girl of tall, athletic build, with short, blue hair and cyan eyes. Even though she was a battle-tested pilot, in her perspective, the robotic giants were still intimidating. However, she must do her best, especially for her younger brothers.

She was sitting in a foldable chair near the Special Task Force A-01 command post, waiting for something to happen. Given that a BETA hive was just offshore several kilometers, this kind of routine was only natural. She is a soldier, soldiers follow orders, and the orders were to wait and see. Well, she has other things to worry about to waste time, like those strange dreams for example.

"Nee, Captain Isumi, do you have something that could give me a dreamless sleep?" Haruko asked the captain of their squadron, Captain Isumi Michiru, who has shoulder-length brown hair with prominent fringe, and brown eyes.

"Are you having nightmares, Haruko? Uwaaa…. Such a girly thing to worry about," said First Lieutenant Misae Munakata, a woman of brown red hair and green eyes, beside Second Lieutenant Touko Kazama, another member of the squadron, who has green, straight, and long hair, and blue eyes.

"Take a hike, Misae!"

"Sheesh… aren't we cranky right now, Haruko…, period?"

"It is not my time of the month!"

"Aha ha ha, well, take care, c'mon, Touko, let's collect ourselves somewhere else until PMS Haruko calms down."

"I told you, Misae, it's not my time of the month!"

Misae just waved her hands.

Haruko was livid, her emotional state in disarray. Since those strange dreams started, her mood was shifting erratically like… like some woman having PMS…. She had to give Misae that, only she could describe her current emotional state with a teasing.

"Are you having that time in the month? If so…."

"Not you too, Captain Isumi! I already told you, I want to ask if you have something that could give me a dreamless sleep."

"A dreamless sleep? Are you really having nightmares like First Lieutenant Suzumiya said?"

"Well, you see captain, I don't really remember much of these dreams, much even to identify either they're nightmares or otherwise, but I know I'm having them…," Haruko said as she fidgeted.

"Hmm?"

"Umm, the thing is, I always feel strong emotions when I wake up. Sometimes I feel happy, giddy even, but most of the times, I wake up crying…"

"Oh, so this is what Second Lieutenant Suzumiya was talking about." Captain Isumi said, folding her hands over her chest.

Haruko only nodded.

"Hmm, except for your sometimes erratic emotional state, I don't think these so-called dreams of yours are posing a problem, Kashiwagi. As far as I can see, your records from our training sessions are still the same, improving even. We will just look up on this on the future if it really becomes a problem, understood?"

"Understood ma'am"

"Oh, and do try to drink some of this juice. It might help you." Isumi placed an orange juice box on Haruko's hands.

_Oh, God!_

-000-

(2001/10/25) (Somewhere in Gunma Prefecture)

_A Tofu shop eh. So this is where Takahashi-san lives on this world._

Takeru knocked at the door of closed shop and waited for a response. After several moments, he heard a cluttering inside. As the door opened with the welcoming bell ringing in the background, a bored-looking man, probably in his mid-twenties, with a brown messy hair and brown eyes, appeared. He was Ichimonji Takahashi, a chauffeur of the Mitsurugi Zaibatsu back in Takeru's original world.

"Um… hello." He eyed Takeru warily. "What do you want? Please make it quick, it's already ten in the night."

Takeru removed the gloves from one his hands and did a light tap to his head.

Takahashi backed away and fell down. He then just sat there on the wooden floor of the shop for a couple of seconds with a glassy look on his eyes, obviously processing some of the new information Takeru had given inside his head.

"Ta-Takeru-sama…?" He asked, stuttering after the ordeal.

"Long time no see Takahashi-san."

"How?"

"It might sound unbelievable, but I gave you your memories from the other world."

"Other world...? Wait… right, there's no BETA there and… I was a limo driver for the _Mitsurugi Zaibatsu_. But… how is this possible…?"

"It turned out that I can do a lot of things, Takahashi-san."

The downed man could only shake his head, trying to compose himself from the sudden rush of memories. He then stood up, patting his pants.

"Why don't we sit first, Takeru-sama?"

Takeru nodded and sat in a chair beside a square table that was in the shop, near a window. Takahashi sat on the other side of the table, opening the window for some light.

"So… These memories are real? And so are parallel worlds?"

"Yup, as real as the BETA. As you can see, well, remember would be the more appropriate word, in some of these other worlds, we live peacefully as normal citizens, well… as normal as we can be, especially Meiya and Yuuhi of the _Mitsurugi Zaibatsu_."

"He he, you got that right. But man… in this world, Yuuhi-sama is the Shogun and… what happened to Meiya-sama?"

"She's in a UN base in Yokohama, training to become an Eishi just like myself."

Takahashi-san nodded, worry, pity, and guilt clearly showing on his face.

"Poor girls, both of them have really big responsibilities, especially Yuuhi-sama. Is Meiya-sama doing well?"

"She's fine; I'm there to make sure of it."

"Ha ha ha, of course, Takeru-sama." He laughed in good nature, some of his worries lessened by what Takeru said. "By the way sir, are there other people that are the same as us? Having memories of other worlds?"

"As far as I know, we have me, you, Sumika, Kasumi, and Yuuko-sensei… and soon, there would be many more."

"So those girls are also UN cadets?"

"Something like that, same with most of the people we know from _Hakuryo_. Also the three idiots and Tsukuyomi-san are members of the Imperial Guards."

"I know…. so they are all fighting the BETA eh…," Takahashi said as he looked through the window towards the night sky.

"May I ask why you were not drafted, Takahashi-san?" Takeru asked the man in front of him.

He turned to look at Takeru and said, "I actually got drafted but quit afterwards. Thankfully, I know some people and I got myself easily discharged… And after my loved ones died on the last BETA invasion, I decided to continue the family business."

Takeru nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, showing condolence on Takashi's losses.

"So what have you come here for, Takeru-sama? I'm sure it's not just to give me some memories." He asked Takeru while he pours two cups of water for the both of them.

Takeru took a sip of the offered water then said, "I want you to join me to save humanity, Takahashi Ichimonji."

Takahashi blinked and looked at him in surprise and then studied his form for a moment and nodded.

"Why me, Takeru-sama, as you can see I'm just a normal Tofu maker."

"I know you Takahashi-san, and you're anything but normal. I want you to use your talents to help me on my endeavors in the future."

Takahashi contemplated on what Takeru said then turned his head towards the window, staring at night sky, again, where the BETA infested moon was visible, the clouds drifting away. He then slowly turned his head again, and asked, "Are you sure that we can defeat the BETA?"

"I'm sure of it."

"I'm in."

-000-

(Marimo – The White Rose) (Yokohama Base Barracks – Marimo's Quarters)

The sound of typing was prevalent in the room. On the desk near the bed, Marimo was reviewing and organizing the training data she gathered from Squad 207, with a certain male cadet in her thoughts.

_His performance is staggering, outclassing all of his squad mates, even though they were in the training far longer than him_,she mused to herself, holding Takeru Shirogane's record files.

It's not just possible, even if he has some kind of training in the past... Expert at martial arts, tactics, strategy, firearms assembling, and Marimo bets that he's also an excellent marksman, an inhumanely strong body and mind, as if he was made to be a perfect soldier and a perfect leader, especially with his apparent takeover of the squad from Sakaki.

"A perfect human… huh…." she muttered. Maybe what the rest of the squad claims him to be may not be unwarranted. Still, some of their ideas were just really crazy.

"The Emperor," she muttered the spreading moniker of Takeru Shirogane, while caressing the young man's picture, aptly named for a man like him.… Still, the way he acts sometimes was just infuriating for Marimo.… _Is he doing those things just to get a reaction from me?'_

She sighed and began to put back the files in their proper places. She then turned the power off her military issued computer and lied on her bed; face up, one hand over her forehead.

_Why do I get so easily affected by him… and with these strange flashes of blurry images when I'm near him… the strange dreams are also not helping …._ She thought as she slowly closed her eyes, dreaming of a happier time and a more peaceful world.

-000-

(Mikoto – The Coreopsis) (2001/10/26) (Yokohama Base Training Fields – Firing Range)

It was a sunny day, the morning sun shining so bright on a cloudless sky. Mikoto and the rest of Squad 207 were now in the firing range of Yokohama Base under the supervision of Instructor Jinguuji.

"Commence fire on 100 meter targets! One magazine per person!" Instructor Jinguuji announced. They then began to fire at the ordered targets. After they emptied their clips, the instructor noticed Takeru just standing and doing nothing, leaning against one the concrete pillars supporting the firing post.

"Cadet Shirogane! I ordered to commence firing!"

"Umm… Instructor, I think Takeru-san is sleeping…," Mikoto said noticing the young man's state.

"Uwaaa… Takeru-san is in trouble again," Miki said beside her, worried.

Instructor Jinguuji just cast her eyes incredulously at the young man. "How can he still be asleep?"

"Ear buds…," Kei answered.

"Ear buds?"

"Ear buds…."

"What is that idiot doing?" Chizuru asked, though clearly not surprised by his actions.

It was Meiya who neared Takeru and began to shake him; trying to wake him up. "Takeru, wake up, we are training right now, it is disrespectful to the instructor to sleep."

The young man slowly opened his eyes, taking his ear buds off, and said, "Huh? Meiya? Why are you in my bed again? I already told you that this isn't normal behavior…"

_Bed? _Mikoto blushed at what he said._ So daring!?_

"W-W-What are you talking about, T-T-Takeru-san…? We are in the firing range right now?" Meiya said stuttering as she pushed the young man away, a huge blush now on her face.

"Huh? Firing range...? Oh! Sorry about that, had a rough night."

"I see… It is fine, Takeru." Meiya replied, calming herself.

The other girls had curious look on their faces as they watched at the suspicious exchange between the pair.

"Shirogane! What did I say about sleeping?!"

"Sorry about this, Marimo-chan," he replied while scratching the back of his head.

"It's Instructor Jinguuji!" She yelled and then sighed in apparent defeat for trying to change how the young man addresses her. "Well then, since you were sleeping then that means that this training must be too easy for you." She then gave him a devilish grin. "That's why I'll give you a challenge worthy of your moniker, _The Emperor_."

"Huh?"

"If you hit that target a kilometer from here with that rifle in your table, then you'll be forgiven, But!" The young man gulped as Sgt. Jinguuji smiled evilly and continued with a voice promising doom, "If you miss, then you must skip today's lunch and clean the latrines everyday for a full week starting tomorrow!"

"But.…"

"No buts! Just do it or I'll make it worse!"

Shirogane nervously nodded and began to pick up his rifle, loading it with a single bullet. Mikoto and the others were concerned, worry etched on their faces for Takeru's current predicament. The young man then slowly raised the rifle with his right hand and then fired without much aiming.

"Idiot…" Kei said in disappointment.

"Why the hell did do that, you idiot!? You just fired the rifle with only one hand. You didn't even aim at it!" Chizuru yelled, surprised at the young man's actions.

"No…. Shirogane hit it…" Instructor Jinguuji said in disbelief, looking through her binoculars towards the seemingly impossible to hit target.

_Huh? Really!? _Mikoto thought as she and the rest of the girls of the squad began using their own UN commissioned binoculars. Mouths were now wide open in awe as they saw the ruined target, a hole in a small red dot on the center.

_Takeru-san is really amazing!_

"He's even better than you Miki-san…" Mikoto said with disbelief clear in her voice.

She only saw Miki nod at her statement.

The girls then let go of their binoculars and looked at the young man, who was already sleeping, that did the seemingly impossible task with ease

"Wow!"

-000-

(Yokohama Base PX)

"Heee…. So this guy is _The Emperor_ that's been in the talk between the cadets eh? You have nice look in your eyes, even for someone so young…" Kyouzuka said as she patted Takeru's back with her strong arms. She's a stout woman that seems to fit the stereotype of a cafeteria lady.

Takeru, with the rest of Squad 207, had just finished with the routine in the firing range and was now enduring a series of blows from the so-called cafeteria lady.

"Umm, obasan, can you stop doing that? I think I'm gonna pass out here…," he tried to talk the old lady out from attacking his back.

"Ahaha, _The Emperor_ is also funny, what can't you do?" she asked, still attacking his poor back, his pleas unheeded.

"Well, I can't take any more of this _patting_ of yours."

"A ha ha, sorry there kid, you're just fun to tease."

_Kyouzuka-obasan's just as cheerful as always._ When he thought about it, she was really an amazing person, still being happy and kind, even if she knows that most of the cadets will die after deployment.

"_The Emperor_ is even gathering his own harem. Ahh, to be young again."

_Urk…_

"I think that's just going too far obasan, they are my squad mates…. Right girls?"

But when he turned towards them to further the denial, they just turned their faces away. They seem to be not doing well, especially with their red faces.

"Girls?"

"Shut up idiot!"

_Uwaa…. Now Class Rep's angry with me._ They seemed to be offended, so he tried to apologize. "Umm… Sorry?"

"A ha ha ha, today's youth are really something," the source of his back problems said as she left to continue her duties as a cafeteria lady.

There was now an awkward atmosphere surrounding them after the wake of such calamity that is the cafeteria lady.

"T-Takeru-san, you really are amazing. You're already famous around the base," Mikoto stuttered, getting rid of the awkward atmosphere.

"Yes! Even some commissioned officers are talking about you, Takeru-san," Miki excitedly added.

"It's nothing really, sooner or later they'll forget about me like some new fad forgotten to obscurity."

"Fad? That strange speak again. Still, don't belittle yourself, Takeru, you really are special," Meiya said in her usual noble stature.

"You are destined for greatness…," Kei added.

"Just don't get full of yourself Takeru," Chizuru advised.

Takeru felt great, being praised by them and all, solidifying his will of continuing his current path to save everyone. "Thanks Everyone." Now that he thought about it, he should really tell them about Sumika and Kasumi joining the squad.

"By the way…"

"Hmm?" All of them looked at Takeru, seemingly eager to hear what he would say next.

"There are going to be new cadets joining our squad."

"New members? Again? How did you know of this?" Chizuru asked.

"Well, Yuuko-sensei said that these two new members will be necessary…."

"Umm… Takeru not that we are suspicious, but why are you close with the Vice-commander? We noticed that she talks to you about some important decisions regarding our squad, like you knowing that there will be two new cadets joining us. I think the Instructor hasn't even heard of this yet," Meiya said somewhat fidgeting.

_Hmm, curious aren't we…._

"We just go way back. You see she was my tutor when I was staying in America."

He lied.

"Alright, thank you for answering, Takeru." That seemed to satisfy them, but somehow, to lie to those that he cared for the most just added to the mountains of festering guilt that he accumulated since that fated day.

"Well continuing on, one of these two new members will be Yuuko-sensei's assistant on her research, Yashiro Kasumi."

"Eh, that white haired girl that looks like a bunny with her hair clips?" Miki asked, placing her fingers near her lips, cutely trying to remember the equally cute Russian girl.

"Yes, and the other one will arrive tonight from America." He lied again. He can't really tell them that she was still but only a brain. Still, he questioned himself; _Will the future be full of lies?_ Again, he banished such depressing thoughts, deciding that he was just over thinking things too much.

"But what about the evaluations, can they take it? I doubt these two new members are like you Takeru..." Chizuru further questioned, worried about the all-important Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation.

"Well that's what she said, and I know them both so I'm sure they could really help us with their own special skills."

"We hope so Takeru." Chizuru said with the rest of the squad agreeing by nodding their heads.

-000-

(00 Units Room)

Takeru couldn't help but be excited, giddy, and worry, for at last, the time for Sumika's revival had arrived.

The equipment was now set up around the room. Large cables and bulky computer units everywhere with the pod, containing Sumika's brain floating in blue liquid inside, in the center of the room. Kasumi was at the switch while Yuuko was staring at large monitor detailing the status of the brain, the power source, and the equipments' condition.

"Yuuko-sensei, is everything clear?" Takeru asked the professor. _I have to double check; I have to make sure everything will turn out okay…_

"O ho ho ho, who do you think I am, Takeru?" she replied laughing manically, very into the situation… which was appropriate given the current state of the room, which really looked like one of those labs where mad scientists' conduct their misguided experiments.

He nodded. "Are you ready?"

"O ho ho ho, I'm as ready as I can be."

"Are you ready Kasumi?" He asked the white haired girl near the switch.

"Ready."

He then turned to look at the brain floating in the pod, to look at Sumika. _Sumika, are you ready?_

_Of course Takeru-chan! With you here, I'll always be fine._ Small bubbles came from the brain, making him think that Sumika was nervous.

He smiled at her, raising his hand to place his palm on the pod, and said, "Pull the switch, Kasumi."

He heard a loud, mechanical sound letting him know that Kasumi did what he ordered as the equipment around the room begun to hum, signifying their start of operation. He then began to pour all of his will, wishing for all of his might for Sumika's revival, to create an unbreakable link between them.

One of the reasons that he had forgone sleep was to study his new ability, to practice it even when he was traveling back and forth from Gunma and other places for his appointments, to make sure nothing goes wrong. It was hard, as even with the whole knowledge of humanity in his brain, the information about such abilities was almost nonexistent, mostly hoaxes and suppositions, still he persevered and managed to pinpoint the right concept behind it, incorporating it with the equation that he managed to formulate the other day. At that moment, Takeru became astounded at what lengths human ingenuity can achieve, giving him confidence for his future undertaking.

Moments later, the pod began to emit blue light, slowly getting brighter.

"This is amazing! Those new equations you made really improved the creation of the quantum computer. Power usage minimal, efficiency at max, conversion rate growing at an astonishing rate, equipment status all green, brains status also green, and the reactor link is slowly going down to zero percent. I had my doubts when you proposed on using something as unscientific and bogus-sounding as a psychic link, but results are results. I can only say one thing to you, Takeru! You have the greatest mind of all mankind!"

Cracks were now forming on the pod and a shadow in the form of a girl coalesced inside, the light continuing to glow brighter. As the blue light began to blind them, Takeru heard a huge sound of something bursting, the crashing of glass, and of splashing liquid. He suddenly felt something falling on his chest, which then began to hug him tightly as the light subsided. He looked down with much anticipation, and there, in front of him, was Sumika, in her complete form, with her long red hair and red eyes, naked as the day she was born.

He smiled as tears kept flowing freely in from his eyes, breaking his nonchalant façade from the sudden rush of emotion, such great happiness welling up inside him, as he gazed upon her.

"Welcome back, Sumika."

"I'm home, Takeru-chan."

-000-

(Sumika – The Carnation) (Kasumi and Sumika's Room)

Sumika was happy, very happy. Takeru was now beside her, looking at her, gazing lovingly at her, as he continued to hold her hand in a gentle manner. Kasumi was also beside her with a cute smile on her face.

Sumika felt complete.

She was now lying on a bed, in the same room she stayed as a brain, wearing a blue hospital gown taken from the infirmary.

"T-takeru-chan…. I can speak to you now…. I can touch you now..." She said as she beamed a smile at the man she loves.

"Me too Sumika, me too…, " he replied as he smiled back at her.

"N-ne, Takeru-chan, tomorrow, Kasumi, and me will join the others right?"

"Sorry Sumika, but it really is necessary."

"Uun…." Sumika shook her head. "Don't worry Takeru-chan, me and Kasumi trust you. We're even happy that this time we could really help you, that you need us."

"Yes." Kasumi added.

The young man in front of her nodded, "Thank you, Sumika," then he turned to the white-haired girl and said, "Kasumi."

She continued to smile. Sumika wanted him to stay beside her forever but… _That would be selfish of me_, she thought to herself.

"Ne, Takeru-chan, you can leave now…."

"You don't want me to stay by your side?"

"N-no! It's just that… you have a lot of things to do, Takeru-chan. I don't want to hinder you."

"But.…"

"No buts Takeru-chan. Don't worry, I'll be fine, and tomorrow, me and Kasumi will start helping you."

He sighed but then nodded. As he stood up, he said, "Then I'll go now Sumika, just rest for today, okay?"

"I promise Takeru-chan!"

He then turned to Kasumi.

"Look after her for me, Kasumi."

"Yes."

Sumika watched the man she loves leave as he tried his hardest to accomplish his dreams. He then turned around before passed through the door.

"See you tomorrow, Kasumi, Sumika."

"See you Takeru-chan"

"See you."

The mechanical door then closed with a hiss.

"This time, Takeru-chan, we will make you happy just like how you made us happy. This time, we will make your dreams come true." She turned to look at Kasumi and asked, "Right Kasumi?"

Kasumi nodded and said, "This time, with all of us, will make him happy."

-000-

(Chizuru- The Narcissus) (Yokohama Base Halls)

_Ugh…, these things are really heavy_, Chizuru thought as she carried a huge stack of papers towards Instructor Jinguuji's quarters.

"Class Rep?"

"Huh? Takeru?" she asked, not really seeing much in front of her due to what she was carrying.

"Here, I'll help you," Takeru said as he took the load from her, touching her hand in the process.

_He touched my hand… how dare he… not that we never touched each other in training… Oohhh! Now I'm thinking inappropriate thoughts because of him! _she thought as a blush formed on her pouting face, caressing the point of contact between them.

"I can carry them on my own, I'm not some helpless girl, Takeru."

"Sure, Class Rep." he replied with a slight shrug, carrying the huge stack of papers with no effort. Chizuru could only sigh at the nonchalant reply.

"So where were you taking these, Class Rep?"

"To Instructor Jinguuji's office, we should hurry; she might punish me for being late."

"Don't worry, Class Rep; Marimo-chan isn't like that."

They both began walking to their destination.

"Takeru, you should address Instructor Jinguuji properly, it's disrespectful to her."

"But Marimo-chan is Marimo-chan, and I think she likes it when I call her that."

Chizuru eyed him then sighed. "Never mind, I really couldn't fathom what's going in your head, Takeru."

"I'm just that awesome."

She massaged her temples from a headache the young man was unknowingly causing for being too much of an idiot, even if he was a genius at almost everything.

"Yeah, yeah, awesome and all that."

"You should lighten up, Class Rep." Takeru turned his head towards her, concern showing on his face.

Chizuru lowered her head and said, "Sorry Takeru, but I really can't. I want to be an _Eishi_ as soon as possible."

"Hee, why, Class Rep?"

_Could I really tell him? But… Maybe this time, just this once_, she questioned herself, folding her hands over her chest.

"It's really selfish, you know, and somewhat insignificant…"

"He he, no worries there, Class Rep, I too have selfish reasons for joining."

Chizuru walked to stand in front of him, to gaze upon his strong but caring brown eyes.

"Well… since my mother died, me and my father began to argue at almost anything. We just don't really get along for some reason. Because of that, well… I just wanted to prove to him that I can stand on my own; to get away from him, and accomplish things without his help…"

He lowered his head a bit, showing remorse to her loss and said, "Sorry for your mom, Class Rep, but…. You really don't hate your dad do you? As far as I can understand from what you just said, I think it's just that you and he are just so alike that most of the time your personalities clash."

Chizuru shook her head. "Regardless, it is still my primary reason for joining… What about you, Takeru?"

Takeru walked faster so that he could join her by her side, continuing the journey to their destination.

"I want to protect those that are precious to me, Chizuru."

She stopped walking. _Huh...? Chizuru...? Why did he call me by my name? But still… to protect those that are precious to him… Maybe it's his family, his girlfriend, or it's that Sumika person he mentioned onetime… Huh? Why do I feel strange? Am I jealous of this girlfriend of his? I'm not even sure he has a girlfriend…._

"Class Rep? Why did you stop? We're still pretty far from Marimo-chan's quarters." The young man called to her, breaking her from her thoughts.

"I'm not jealous of your girlfriend Takeru!" she suddenly yelled back.

"Jealous? Girlfriend? What are you talking about, Class Rep?" Takeru replied, astonished and ignorant with her sudden declaration.

Chizuru realized what she just blurted out, face now as red as a tomato. "N-n-n-nothing, you idiot!"

"Well… if you say so. We should hurry up, Class Rep." He then began walking again, which made her speed up with her steps to catch up to him.

"Hey, wait for me!"

-000-

(Kei – The Edelweiss) (Yokohama Base Training Fields)

"Oh, it's _The Emperor_…," Kei called to the young man, who was walking towards the gate.

"Umm… Please don't call me that Ayamine; I already got enough of that from Kyouzuka-obasan back in the PX."

"Hee… humble aren't we.…"

"He he he, I try my best. So why are you here, Ayamine?"

"Is it wrong for me to be here…?" she said as she cast her eyes at the young man, raising an eyebrow.

"Umm… not really, it's just that it's already late and cadets should already be in their own quarter's right now."

She blinked.

"You are a cadet too… Takeru…." Kei noticed the new cadet in front of her being slightly nervous. "If you don't want me here, you should just say so…"

"Geh…. No, no! It's just that…."

"That…?"

She sauntered towards Takeru. After some moments, standing tiptoed, they were now face-to-face and very close with each other, almost touching, her chest pressing against him. Noticing the very close proximity between them, he slightly backed away from her, a blush now in his face.

She smiled at him.

"You are cute, Takeru…"

Kei then pulled herself away from him, backing away three steps and thought, _Payback is sweet, but really, he is just…._

"W-w-why did you do that, Ayamine."

"No reason…."

"Okay…. "

She turned her head towards the hill, looking upon the seemingly dead, cherry blossom tree. "I had a dream… a dream of people living innocently, without knowing the meaning of peace… I had a dream of a more peaceful world…."

"Huh?"

"Lately… I have been having strange dreams, Takeru… and not just me… but the rest of the squad.… As the days gone by since you came to our lives…, I keep having them more frequently, remembering more and more of them unlike before.… Sometimes…, I see you… just smiling… happy for the peaceful days.… We were together and it was perfect…. However, most of the times..., I see you crying…. It was a different place…. I felt your loneliness… your despair… slowly losing yourself…. and those that you love… disappear.…" She turned her head to gaze upon him. "Tell me Takeru…, do you know about these strange dreams...?"

He backed way, surprise now in his face.

_So those… were real…_, she thought as she noticed the young man in front of her becoming more uncomfortable by the second. Before he could even give a response, she said "Don't fret, it's nothing… just talking about things…."

She began to walk away from him to return to her quarters.

"Ayamine!" he called out to her.

Kei stopped walking, never turning to look at him. "Don't worry, Takeru, I know you'll tell me.… No, you'll tell us the truth… soon…. Just know this, Takeru… I trust you… Good Luck…." She then resumed her walking.

"Thank you…, Kei."

-000-

(2001/10/27) (Yokohama Base Barracks – Takeru's Quarters)

Takeru felt his body moving back and forth on its own.

_Huh? What's this?_

Rhythmically, as he slept on his bed.

_What the hell is this shaking…? Is there an earthquake?_

"Muu….Takeru-chan… Wake up."

"Wake up"

A dull thumping pain suddenly came on his head, _Geh… My head, it freaking hurts_…. He then covered his head with the blanket. "Sumika… I'm still tired. Just let me sleep…"

However, regardless of his please, the shaking continued.

"Five more minutes, Sumika…"

_Ooh, the shaking stopped. Thank goodness…_

"If you don't wake up Takeru-chan, then we'll do this, Yah!" Then he felt something landing on his chest, at that, he reluctantly opened his eyes.

"Could the both of you please get off…, Sumika and… Kasumi…?"

"We won't if you don't get up Takeru-chan!"

"We won't."

What he saw would be forever imprinted on his feeble mind. It was as thought he went to heaven, with little angels floating around, singing their holy song in the background. It was such bliss… that the pain in his head, his sleepiness, and his reluctance to even get up from his bed suddenly disappeared into thin air. The epitome of heart stoppers, in front of him, were two cute girls, over his body, their bodies pressed against him, and their cute gazes and pouting faces graciously bestowed upon his undeserving self. It was truly paradise. He would not have regretted anything if he died then. Therefore, he closed his eyes from utopia that he had finally had, forever and ever….

"W-wawawaa…. Takeru-chan stopped breathing…! Uwaaa, he's even smiling! What are we gonna do, Kasumi-chan?"

"This."

"Owww!" Something hit him hard in the face forcing him to open his eyes in pain. What he saw boggled his mind as Kasumi was holding a very thick hardbound book, still smoking from its violent use. He was astonished as the cute _loli_ Russian girl did something akin to domestic violence in the form of a reading material.

"Good job Kasumi!" Sumika gave the white-haired girl a thumbs-up while grinning in which Kasumi did the same thing as a reply with a stoic look on her face.

"Why, Sumika? Why did you have to corrupt a beautiful little angel like Kasumi? Whhhyyyyyy?!" He exaggeratedly asked the red-haired girl, his eyes on the verge of tears, half due to emotional shock and the other half due to the very intense pain in his face.

"It's because you wouldn't wake up, Takeru-chan, and I didn't corrupt, Kasumi! Grrr!"

"You wouldn't wake up."'

_Wow, Sumika was growling, that's a first_… He sighed and then groaned… _Now that I think about it… _He was experiencing morning hangover as the night before as he was drinking with the father of Chizuru, something that he never expected when he met him last night as it turned out that he was already expecting his arrival. He really should thank Sakon next time for arranging the meeting not ending up into something violent, same with the peaceful reception he had received from UN Undersecretary-general Genjousai Tamase and General Radhabinod, though in his case, Takeru had Yuuko to make things easier for him.

"Ughhh… Takeru-chan you're smelly, did you drink last night? You're still underage you know. It is not right," Sumika said while waving a finger in front of his face, pinching her own nose for the strong smell of alcohol from him.

"Drinking is prohibited for people of age 20 years and below," Kasumi added in monotone, closing her eyes while doing a single and almost unnoticeable nod, stating the drinking law from his old world.

"But girls, I can't really deny the Prime Minister of Japan.…"

"We don't want to hear reasons, Takeru-chan… Go take a bath!"

"Take a bath."

Both of them said, pointing towards the bathroom.

After several moments of friendly arguing, they stood up and started to leave.

"Takeru-chan, we will go first since it's our first day in the squad."

"Introductions."

"Okay, see you later, Kasumi, Sumika."

"See you, Takeru-chan!"

"See you."

The door then made a clicking sound as it closed.

Again, Takeru groaned. Having next to nothing sleep really takes much toll to the body, merging or not. But at least it was worth it. So far, Takahashi-san, Prime Minster Sakaki, Undersecretary-general Tamase, and General Radhabinod were pretty much covered. All that's left were.…

"Ikaruga and those guys in America."

Ikaruga would be a bit of a problem given that he would be always in the imperial palace, as for those guys in America, getting down and dirty would be unavoidable. He should prepare before meeting them.

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (Yokohama Base – One of the Lecture Rooms)

_Are they the new members?_, Meiya asked to herself as she looked at the two girls beside Sgt. Jinguuji.

"Attention!" Sgt. Jinguuji announced. "Today, I will introduce to you the new members of the squad."

"The girl on the right is Kasumi Yashiro," the white-haired girl nodded. "And the one on her left is Sumika Kagami." The red-haired girl with a yellow ribbon smiled at them, specifically at Takeru.

"Sumika?" they all said at the same time, turning their heads toward the young man. Meiya and the rest just saw him smiling, sitting on his chair lazily, as though everything was now all right with the world, which made her suspect that there was something going on behind their backs, and Meiya wanted to find out about it. For now though, she decided that she would just stand by and ask him things later. Strangely, the one named Sumika was very familiar….

"Ah, hello again, Takeru-chan!"

"Hello."

The girls that were introduced as Sumika and Kasumi greeted Takeru respectively.

"Umm… he he, hello there, Sumika, Kasumi."

Such a casual greeting affected Meiya making her wear a pensive look. She could also see the others being in the same state as her. Ayamine, at first glance, still had her stoic look, but a cross-popping vein could be seen on her temple. Mikoto still had her casual cheery self, making one think that she was somewhat oblivious of the happenings around her, but on a closer look, her right eye was twitching. Chizuru was fuming, her expression was somewhere between someone who would be dealing divine punishment and someone who had something important taken from her. As for Miki, she was cutely pouting.

"Furthermore, the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation will be happening earlier." Instructor Jinguuji further announced.

"Huh?" The declaration surprised Meiya and the others.

"When Instructor Jinguuji?" Chizuru asked, worry clearly showing on her face.

"This coming Monday, next week."

"But that's… Why Instructor? It's too early!" she shouted in surprise, clearly nervous of the sudden change of schedule. Meiya and other members of the squad were also in the same situation, except for the three newest members. They were afraid, not yet ready for the coming evaluations.

"It was decided by General Radhabinod and supported by Vice-commander Kouzuki. As for the reasons, they said that your particular squad would be undergoing some special program in the future. Personally, I think they are rushing things, but I don't really have enough authority to have a say on this. Sorry," Instructor Jinguuji said, with her rarely used kind voice, to the very nervous girls.

"Don't worry everyone; it will all turn out fine," Takeru said, calming the original members of the squad a great deal. This action also made the worried instructor and the new members smile.

"Yup, it's just like Takeru-chan said. Everything will be fine," the red-haired girl, Sumika, said, supporting the young man.

"Do not worry," Kasumi, the white-haired girl, added.

Meiya and the other original members of the squad could only nod, as they hoped that what the three new members said would come true. That this time, they would finally be a step closer on becoming an _Eishi_.

-000-

(Yokohama Base PX)

There was something ominous floating around the usual table Squad 207 eats, an awkward, thick, and heavy atmosphere surrounding them. Even the other cadets from different squads were backing away from them, sitting two to three tables away, so that they wouldn't get caught in the cross fire.

On the other hand, Kyouzuka was laughing aloud with some of the cafeteria staff while saying, "Ha ha ha, _The Emperor_ has done it again!"

If Takeru was one of them, he might have agreed with them, enjoying watching this afternoon-drama-like scene from far away, maybe with popcorn on his hands… However, since he was in the middle of it… he was afraid, very afraid of that his continued existence might cease from the tension permeating around him.

"Takeru-chan, say aah …"

"Aah."

Sumika and Kasumi said respectively as they tried to feed him fried synthetic fish, both sitting beside him, with him in the middle. Sumika was on his right while Kasumi was on the other.

Being weak to such kind of attack, especially with the cute expressions that they were showing him, he slowly opened his mouth and ate what they fed to him, giving them a nervous smile as thanks. He really wanted to be happy with such an event… he really wanted to… but the looks from the rest of the squad were giving him were just terrifying. _Seriously, no young, pretty woman should have those kinds of expressions on their face._

"Takeru!" Chizuru suddenly yelled at him, bumping her fists on the table to show how angry she was.

"Yes! Class Rep!"

"What are you doing!?"

"I'm eating."

"From what they personally feed you!?"

"Umm… I can't really deny them, Class Rep."

Their glares just intensified.

_I think I'm going to die today…_

Suddenly, Meiya called out to him.

"Takeru."

"Oh…, Meiya?"

It was such a glorious sight, Meiya in front of him, trying to feed her _tonkatsu_ made in synthetic meat, blushing with teary eyes, as she waits for him to indulge on the food that she graciously offered. It was such an honor to be fed by such a noble woman.

"Umm… Of course, Meiya."

It was bland, he admits, however, food being fed by a beautiful girl would definitely make it ten times better than any five-star meal. Just like those maid cafes that an iteration of him frequently visited. _Maids there usually cast moe spells cutely, to make the usually bland food taste better, like 'Moe Moe Kyun!' or something... Ah... maybe I could ask these girls to do something like that someday... Ha ha ha, I wish. _

"Here…"

"Eat this!"

"Here you go Takeru-san."

"Uwaa… let me feed you too, Takeru-san."

It seemed that Meiya's actions spurned the rest of the squad, trying to feed Takeru with what they ordered. He really didn't know if he was lucky or not, but there's something that he was sure of, _I'm going to have a very special place in hell…._

After some minutes of Takeru eating and the girls feeding him, he was now slumped on the table, stomach hurting…. _Sigh, even I have my limits._

"So… Kagami-san, Yashiro-san, you knew Takeru when he was in America?" Meiya suddenly asked the two girls by his side, as the rest of the squad laid their curious eyes on the two newcomers.

"America?"

He elbowed Sumika discreetly.

"Oh America…! Yep, we knew each other and things, ehe he… right Kasumi?"

The white-haired girl gave a single robotic nod.

The rest of the squad just gave them suspicious looks, but seemed to be satisfied with the answer for the moment.

"Sorry for being rude…. But what's so special about you two?" Chizuru asked, obviously worried for the coming evaluations. "You two are suddenly made to join our squad and with what Instructor Jinguuji said, it is only prudent for us to know the talents of the new members."

"Oh us? Well Kasumi and I are exempted from the evaluations since we were a part of a UN program in America. Kasumi just came here before me, and please call us by our first names, Chizuru-san, same for the rest of you guys."

Sumika being good at lying was quite a surprise for Takeru, thus, he tried to talk to her telepathically, already getting used to such a way of communicating.

_Heee, I never thought you would be good with all this secret stuff Sumika._

_Oh no, Takeru-chan, you see, Yuuko-sensei told us what to say when we would be asked by our origins, evaluations, and other stuff after you left yesterday._

Takeru breathe out in relief. For a second, he was afraid that her early revival significantly affected her personality.

"Eh? Exempted? That seems unfair," Chizuru replied, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Sorry, Chizuru-san, we really don't have a choice on this. In addition, we are weak physically compared to you guys so we would just be useless from the start. Our specialties lie on a different field."

"Ah…okay…But what about Takeru?"

"Ah, Takeru-chan?"

The original members of the squad flinched a bit for reasons unknown to him.

"He's still participating one way or another. He's not really a part of the program anyways."

"Ah, okay…" Chizuru nodded; satisfied from the answers Sumika gave while the rest of the original squad members released sighs of relief. At least the atmosphere seemed to be back to normal. _Hmm, it's almost time…_

Takeru stood up. "Sorry, but I have to go now."

"Takeru?" The squad seemed to be curious as to why he was leaving early.

"Well, Yuuko-sensei gave me an errand to deliver something to America, so I have to go now."

"But—" Meiya tried to ask more, but he manage stop her with a shake of his head.

"Don't worry; I'll probably be back tomorrow night."

They each gave him worried looks, except for Sumika and Kasumi, who gave him their reassuring smiles.

"Well. See you guys..."

He then left, walking towards the cafeterias exit.

"See you, Takeru."

"See you… Takeru…"

"Be careful, Takeru."

"See you tomorrow, Takeru-san."

"Good luck, Takeru-san"

"See you, Takeru-chan!"

"See you."

-000-

(Yokohama Base Airfield)

The noise of the plane's engines was loud, and there, near the stairs of the jet, were Yuuko, General Radhabinod, and Mikoto's dad.

"Well, I'm flattered, especially when all of you are here to see me off."

"Hooh, the greatest mind of mankind is humble eh…"

_It seems that Yuuko-sensei was still hung up with what happened yesterday._

"Captain Shirogane," General Paul Radhabinod said with his commanding voice, garnering Takeru's attention. He was a tall man of dark skin and graying hair.

"With all due respects sir, why call me captain? I'm only but a simple cadet."

"No. I did not make a mistake, Captain Shirogane. Given what you accomplished with the Vice-commander, and your help with the Alternative IV, in addition, with your highly advanced skills on both martial and civil, and your rapidly increasing influence, this increase in rank would be warranted. This decision is already official in all but formality. At the coming graduation of Squad 207, after the evaluations that you will give to them, the legal process will be complete and an official announcement will be made. At that time, you will be instated as their leader and form a new division under the UN banner. I know that you will accomplish a lot of things in the coming future, Captain Shirogane, and I am looking forward to it."

Things were moving too fast for his liking, and what the General said was a lot to take. Yes, he wanted such a thing to happen, eventually, as he already planned for a new military division to give him some form of freedom in his actions in the near future. However, it was too early; he didn't even ask anyone yet. Was he that convincing when they talked? Then again, he could suspect the culprits seeing the grins from Yuuko and Sakon behind General Radhabinod.

"Umm… sorry for asking this general, but what's the catch?"

"_Catch_?"

General Radhabinod gave him a questioning look then shook his head and answered, "No there is no _catch_. Considering your ties to the Prime Minister of Japan, the UN Undersecretary General, from what you had inferred that you would be having a major influence in TSF and weapons manufacturing research and development, and the future connections that you will have with the Japanese royal family. You will be a huge asset for the UN and thus, it would be in our best interests to offer you this. If not, we might risk losing you to other factions. Still, this is a sudden jump in rank and people will get suspicious, so don't disappoint me, young man."

Takeru turned to look at the man with an Indiana Jones hat, who in turn just tipped his hat down and grinned at him as though saying, "You should thank me."

Takeru sighed. _I sigh a lot lately... Might as well take what I get, even if it's a lot. So, here goes nothing…._

He then stood up straight, chest out, stomach in, straightened his shoulders, and did a snappy salute. "Yes sir! I will be honored to receive this rank, sir. I'll serve the UN and mankind with utmost of my abilities, sir!"

The general nodded, satisfied. "At ease, Captain Shirogane. I for one will wish you good luck on your journey."

After he said that, he left towards the base.

"Hooh, Captain Shirogane now ehh…You rise up in the world fast, you might outrank me in the near future."

"A ha ha, as expected of son-in-law, or is it _The Emperor_."

Both Yuuko-sensei and Yoroi-san said respectively as they neared him. Sakon then gave him a pat on the back.

"You shouldn't have done that, Yoroi-san." Takeru gave him a halfhearted glare.

"Ahhh, what are you talking about, Takeru Shirogane," he said while whistling a jaunty tone.

Takeru just looked in his eyes as though saying, "Do you think I'll believe that?" which pretty much what he thought about him at that time. However, Sakon just ignored him and said, "Well then, I still have to deliver some souvenirs to some friendly people, see you next time, Takeru Shirogane," and then left.

"You know, Takeru? I really can't stand that man, memories or with no memories." Yuuko said, giving the leaving man's back a glare.

"Well, he always snoops around and with the way he talks, it's only natural that his personality would clash with yours, _sensei_. I personally think he's good man."

"Maybe, maybe not, I don't really care, as long as he delivers results, then he stays. By the way, he said that I should tell you that he already finished with what you asked him for in America. Also, there are some goods inside the plane for your _mission_. Heh, you're going James Bond on me now, are you?"

"Nah, just needed something to use get close to those guys before I could transfer some memories."

"Takeru…." There was something unusual with Yuuko, the usual devilish smile on her face turning gentle, as though she was longing for something. She then reached out her hand and touched his face, gently caressing his cheeks.

"Huh?"

However, it never lasted long as she let go and closed her eyes, releasing a wistful sigh. "Never mind."

"Well, here I go sensei."

Yuuko gave a nod and then grinned. At that, he then began walking up to the plane.

"Be careful, Takeru, and good luck!" She shouted as the plane's engines roared louder.

"Thanks, Yuuko...," he said while he waved his right hand. Whether she heard or not, as long as the intent reached her, then all will be fine.

-000-

(Miki – The Saintpaulia) (Yokohama Base Halls)

They were now walking towards their quarters as Miki noticed that there was an awkward atmosphere prevailing around them.

"Umm, Kagami-san, what's your relationship with Takeru-san?" Miki asked, dispelling the silence as she asked the question that has been plaguing her mind.

"Relationship?" Sumika tilted her head. "Well, I like him, and so do Kasumi, and I think Takeru-chan also likes you guys too... Oh, and call me Sumika, Miki-san."

Kasumi nodded confirming Sumika's answer.

_He likes them?_ Miki thought.

"What do you mean about _like_, Sumika-san?" Meiya further probed the red-haired girl.

"It's love of course! What else?"

"I love him."

_Love? _Miki blushed at such a sudden turn in their discussion.

"Yup! And I know that you all love him too," Sumika suddenly added.

"W-w-who would l-l-love that idiot," Chizuru tried to deny the red-haired girl's remark.

"A ha ha ha, still the _tsundere_ as ever, neh, Chizuru-san."

"_Tsundere_?" Chizuru now had a confused look on her face.

"A ha ha, you'll know soon enough."

Then they stopped walking.

"Is this about the dreams…?" Kei asked.

Miki and the rest of the squad gave their full attention to the new members.

"I really don't have the right to tell you the truth… But don't worry…"

"Takeru will tell."

"But…" Meiya said.

"Sorry, Meiya-san, just trust Takeru-chan, that's all we're asking for."

"Please."

The squad nodded, trusting the words the two new members said for now. Moments later, the group reached an intersection in the hallways.

"Sorry guys, we will be heading this way. See you."

"See you."

The two new members then went to the right, opposite of the direction where the barracks was located.

"So do you believe them?" Chizuru asked, after the two new members left.

"They do seem to be close to him. I think they were not lying and I trust Takeru," Meiya said folding her arms over her chest.

"Don't you trust Takeru…?" Kei asked the brown-haired bespectacled girl, which irked her.

"Well, I do trust him, but I want to know the reason for these strange dreams and image flashes."

"They're cute, the both of them, especially the white-haired girl. I want to be their friend!" Miki declared excitedly, changing the mood of their discussion.

"I don't think they're bad. We should all just trust them, if not, trust Takeru," Mikoto added.

The girls of the squad then nodded to each other and began to proceed to their respective quarters.

-000-

(2001/10/27) (Unite States of America – Somewhere in the coasts of California)

"That plane was fast, and here I thought otherwise given that TSFs where the main focus of weapons development…." Takeru mumbled to himself as he noticed the old warehouse Yoroi Sakon arranged for the important meeting.

He was in a wharf where several warehouses stood, the sound of splashing waves was loud, and the smell of the sea was prevalent in the air. "Warehouse Number 21…" he mumbled again as he neared the particular rotting structure.

_Too easy, _he suddenly heard in his then panicked as he ducked, hearing a loud gunshot less than a second later. "That was close! Thank you, telepathy!"

Still, he ended up cursing after for being too careless. He then scurried to nearby crate to hide, carefully walking towards a nearby warehouse as he assessed the situation. "Damn, a high-powered sniper rifle…," he said as took a peak from his hiding place, but another gunshot that grazed his cheeks forced him to hide again. "Crap. How do I get out of this situation?"

He had to think, he had to think to survive. It was his first roadblock and at that he moment he thought that if he couldn't overcome the encounter, then him saving humankind would be impossible. Thus, he looked backed to the first gunshot, delving into his most recent memories while using some of the necessary knowledge that he had, his brain now in over drive. He took the direction where it came from and mentally calculated the precise location of the sniper, the only problem left is to how to get close enough for him to disable the assassin. So he took the things that he had brought from the plane, the _goods_ that Yuuko said, consisting of several military knives, two C4's, a spindle of thick industrial wire, and two guns. A sequence of events then formed in his mind, simulating steps, the cause and effect of every action, using the items in front of him… and then he grinned.

Several moments later, after he finished his preparation, he ran. He ran, zigzagging, with all his might from his hiding spot towards the general direction of the sniper. With his body forged from the loops and the merging, he managed to outrun the gunshot from the sniper. Still, he was sure that the sniper would know the pattern of his movements eventually. Therefore, he threw a dagger, with the wire tied to it and the other end to his waist, to a nearby warehouse, which it punctured, and used it as a support for him to jump on the said warehouse's metal wall and run, vertically, on it. He was now close as he could now see the sniper, who was now panicking; his hands now shaking making his accuracy dwindle into nothing. So he jumped again several feet in the air.

One might think it was a stupid move as he would've been a sitting duck in air, but he was Takeru Shirogane, the man reborn from the Merging, the man who was forged in recurring loops.

His goal was to use himself as bait for the sniper to aim towards him, to give him a clear view of the snipers hands for him to aim. Less than a second before the shot was fired he pulled the wire that was still attached to the knife, which was stuck to the warehouse, he threw earlier and pulled hard, making him spin in air back to the warehouse. He then used the resulting centrifugal force to throw another knife; hitting the sniper's trigger hand and making him drop his weapon.

He then cut the wire, and pulled another knife and wire ensemble that was also tied to his waist, and threw it near the Sniper's perch, using the wire like a rope to climb.

"I'll be taking this," he said as he took the sniper rifle from the man, who was of Caucasian descent.

"W-what are you?" Takeru heard the now injured man say, just recovering from the pain of having his hand stabbed.

"Your Emperor."

The sniper just stared at him incredulously while he just shrugged. "Well then." Takeru was about to walk away when he heard a gun's trigger.

_Die you crazy freak!_

However, before the gun could fire, Takeru managed to duck and throw another knife to the snipers neck, in which a great flow of blood came forth, killing him.

"You shouldn't have done that." He approached the twitching bloody body of the sniper and took the gun from him, his hands shaking. "My first kill, huh…." He felt guilt for a second, but it then went away as he realized that it was not his real first kill basing from several iterations of him from alternate worlds, not that it made the deed less daunting. Still, he steeled himself and ironed his heart, for humankind, for every one that is important to him, and more importantly, for those that he loves.

"Let's have a detour first, shall we."

It was minutes later that he entered the warehouse. Inside, he saw two men. One was about in his sixties, bald, with a small pair of glasses over his black eyes, his face sneering, while the other one was probably in his mid-forties, with blond hair, blue eyes, and a somewhat cool expression on his deceptively young face. Both of them were wearing expensive suits.

"Che! That incompetent mercenary, we should have let loose a couple of TSFs from the get go!" the old bald man yelled at the blond man.

"Shut up you bald bastard! All of America's army would be on our asses if that happens, and right now were already in a tight rope with the CIA! Bah! You and your absurdly extreme ways!" the blond man yelled back.

"Don't talk back to me you incompetent mongrel! Let me take care of this." the bald man then turned towards Takeru. "Hey, you there, are you the one with the info!?"

Shirogane just shook his head. "Are you still arguing with each other, Mr. Tezla, Mr. Gruss?"

"Hey! Answer my question you brat!"

"Well... What if I say that I am?" He said nonchalantly while shrugging.

"Then die!"

Several men with automatic rifles then appeared at the railings above them. However, before they could fire, he detonated the C4's that he had place earlier outside on the other side of the wall where the gunners were, making them fall from their perch and in turn disabling them. He then took two guns from the inside of his UN uniform and pointed them to the two in front of him.

"W-w-what do you want?" the man identified as Gruss asked, stuttering.

"Y-y-yeah?" the old bald man identified as Tezla further questioned Shirogane, shaking in fear.

He walked slowly towards them.

"W-wait!"

"I'll give you money, just don't kill me!"

However, Takeru never stopped. He then tapped the nozzle of the gun on Gruss's head, making him fall down on his knees in fear. Using the chance, he placed one gun back to his into his uniform and took the glove off from one of his hands with his mouth.

He then reached out to Gruss slowly, threateningly, like a looming hand of a grim reaper.

"No! W-what are you doing! S-stop!"

He then tapped the shrieking Gruss's forehead, stopping him from screaming, seemingly catatonic, while still pointing the other gun to Tezla. Takeru then turned to Tezla. "Your turn."

"N-no! Please, I'll give you anything! Just sto—"

However, regardless to the old man's pleas, Takeru touched the forehead of Tezla, who fell down on his butt, now in similar state to Gruss. Both men now had a glazed look on their eyes, processing several memories that Takeru unlocked from another world.

Several seconds later, both of them said, "President Shirogane?"

"Hello there, Mr. Tezla, Mr. Gruss," Takeru said as he looked down upon the two older men, who were staring wide-eyed at him. For introduction, the old bald man with the glasses is Hieronymus Tezla, this world's current owner of Lockweed Mardin while the blond man with good looks even in his current age is Delphan Gruss, the current owner of Northrock Grunnan.

"P-p-president Shirogane! We're sorry! It's because of this incompetent mongrel, sir!"

"What? It's because of you, bald bastard, that we almost killed President Shirogane!"

"He he, both of you are still arguing with each other even in this world. Don't worry, it's down under the bridge."

"This world?"

They looked at him, confusion marring their faces.

"Well you both did try to kill me.… It's only because you still don't know me then. You see, I gave you your memories of another world. To do that, I have to arrange a meeting with you guys first, that's why I have to threaten your respective companies with some information that if released would make you both lose the race in TSF development…. Unbelievable, I know, but what you're currently experiencing is proof enough At least, I know that both of you are still the competent people that I knew."

"Ha ha ha, as expected of President Shirogane, the young man that made a small company consisting of only three people into something that could rival the Mitsurugi Zaibatsu in just two years," Tezla said as he and Gruss stood up from their prone positions.

"But still, parallel worlds…. Then this proves that one theory a scientist in our company back in the other world proposed. Remember that one with the Causality Conductor thing?" Gruss said, curious of the current predicament while he fixed his necktie.

"Right you are Mr. Gruss. One way or another, I became that Causality Conductor, traveling different worlds and stuff. By the way, that scientist was Professor Yuuko Kouzuki."

"The Vice-commander of Yokohama Base and the woman behind Alternative IV?"

"Yup, the same one."

"Ha ha ha, you never cease to amaze me, President Shirogane." Tezla said praising him.

"Thanks. By the way, why don't we form the company again this time?"

"Why, President Shirogane? With your genius and recently acquired talents, you could equal, no, even surpass us in a year or two," Gruss said, curious.

"I don't have a year or two, Mr. Gruss, especially with Alternative V and the threat of BETA looming. I need both of your help and the company formed after the merger to save this world."

They then stared at him wide-eyed, surprise clear on their faces at his reasoning. After several moments, both of their bodies began to shake as they laughed loudly.

"Yes!" both of them yelled at the same time.

"Yes! I would join you, President Shirogane. A ha ha, I can't stop shaking from the excitement. I feel so young and alive again!" Tezla declared while raising both his hands.

"I would also join you, President Shirogane. A ha ha ha, a great, no, an awesome goal! Ah, the blood in my veins is burning in delight and excitement. President Shirogane, that is why I always followed you, you never cease to amaze me! A ha ha ha!" Gruss followed, a hand now on his face to support himself, from what Takeru could see as too much excitement.

Takeru grinned.

"So are we going to revive Nebula?"

"Of course! The revival of Nebula!" They both said aloud at the same time.

"Ohhh, this feeling of fulfillment. I never felt like this since we first met in that one dark alley, President Shirogane." Tezla said grinning like there's no tomorrow.

"With the resurrection of Nebula and with your talents, President Shirogane, the dream of mankind of defeating the BETA would never be a dream anymore. It would be a reality!" Gruss said waving his hands in excitement.

"I know I can count on you guys. Hmm, how about we go outside to change the scenery, and don't worry about your men, they'll be fine."

They both nodded, still grinning.

When they got outside, it was almost daybreak. They then sat on the crates near the banks of the wharf, waves splashing nearby.

"You know, President Shirogane, sitting in these wooden crates near the wharf brings back a lot of memories back in the early days when the company was still starting," Tezla said while looking at the horizon.

"Yeah, a rotting abandoned warehouse near the sea, he he he, those were the days…" Gruss added, lighting a cigar. "Want some, President Shirogane?"

"Nah, still a minor… Maybe next time."

He shrugged. "Meh, more for me."

_Hmm, it's almost morning..._

"Maybe we should leave the talk about what happened to us in this world for next time on a much better venue."

"Right you are, President, this place stinks."

"We would have women and drinks next time. Well maybe not women, you always shy away when we bring some, and sometimes they all just service you, forgetting us… A ha ha, just like we always do after a successful deal."

Gruss and Tezla said respectively, remembering some fond memories.

"By the way, I'm a cadet of the UN… well I'll become a captain soon after graduation, which would probably happen, a week from now."

"So you're in the UN eh, that's why your get up seemed so familiar to me, going to the front-lines?" Gruss asked, raising a single eyebrow in curiosity while smoking his expensive cigar.

"This world needs heroes, Mr. Gruss and heroes are not born behind the desk."

"Wisely said, President…," Gruss said as he began blowing a series of rings made of cigarette smoke. "He he he, so you're going to be a TSF pilot. Basing from experience on being with you as you rose to the top of the business world back in that other world; I think it wouldn't be unbelievable that you will be the best in the world in piloting. You know, my company developed the new YF-23, which in my opinion is the best TSF in the world right now, perfect for the best pilot." He continued offering the Black Widow II.

"You incompetent mongrel, you're already working your way with the President. He doesn't need your piece of crap TSF, what he needs is the F-22A, the perfect TSF for any situation," the bald man, Tezla, boasted, offering the Raptor.

"Nah, don't worry about what TSF I would use guys, I already have some ideas and some designs for a new TSF."

"Ah, as expected of the President!" they both said the same time, excited for the new TSF.

"Well, continuing on, since I'm going to be in the military, I want to ask you guys to manage the company in my stead, I'll just come by maybe once a week or two in between military operations to check up on you. In addition, do a recording of the press conference for the merger of the two companies and tell the media and tell them to air it precisely eight in the night, Japan time, if not, then pay them until their satisfied. I'm going to use it to get me some connections with the Japanese royal family. I'll also need you guys to ask someone under you to build a simple cottage home big enough to fit a big group on an island on this coordinates and should be finished within 24 hours from now." Takeru pulled a single paper from his pockets and gave it to them.

"Only this, President?" Tezla asked, somewhat disappointed.

"For now, in the next few days I'm going to send some blueprints and plans for some new weapon designs for TSFs and foot soldiers alike."

"New weapons?"

"Yup! Moreover, before I forget, do you guys have any contacts in the front-lines? I think I found some use for the dead BETA bodies. Just burning them would be such a waste. In addition, UN will also be sending seven _Fubuki's_ here for customization. I'm going to send you the specifics for customization in the next few days."

"_Fubuki's_? Those Japanese-made training toys? Why settle for those when you could just accept our offer?" Gruss asked.

"The Fubuki's will do, it would be suspicious if newly graduated cadets, especially those that had their graduation accelerated and one who had a sudden jump in rank, to be given new known hi-spec TSFs, and I did say it would be customized. Another reason to use Fubuki's would be the psychological effect it could give in the battlefield. You see, if the pilots of these Fubuki's were seen killing the BETA easily on the front-lines, the pilots would become infamous, to be going to be feared and celebrated. People will think that with any TSF, they would stump any enemy and competition, and that the higher the specs of the TSF that they would pilot in the future, the more unstoppable they would be. These pilots would become heroes… they will give mankind a chance, a future... they will give hope."

Both of them nodded in agreement when he finished his explanation.

"Hope… Very well thought out, President Shirogane," Gruss said.

"Well, that's all for now, if you see a blue-haired Japanese man in an Indiana Jones hat, don't harm or inconvenience him, he's our ally. He will probably become our go between just to be safe."

"Of course, Mr. President." They both then stood up and did a ninety degree bow just like they always did back in that particular world.

"See you guys in a week or so." Takeru then walked away, heading back to Japan, the sun rising on the sea's horizon.

"Good luck, Mr. President!"

-000-

(Miki – The Saintpaulia) (2001/10/28) (Yokohama Base Training Fields)

The sun was setting and the night was slowly approaching. Miki was going back to her quarters after planting some Saintpaulia in the firing range when she saw the young man she had come to like walking towards the gates of Yokohama base.

"Takeru-san!" she called the young man, waving her right hand while her left hand was carrying her garden tools, pressing them onto her small chest to support them.

The young man stopped walking and turned towards her.

"Tama?"

The young pink-haired girl began to walk towards him.

"So you really are back, Takeru-san."

"I did say I would be back today. Hmm?" Takeru then looked at what she was carrying. "What were you doing Tama?"

"A he he, I was planting some Saintpaulia in the firing range, Takeru-san."

"Saintpaulia? Ah, I did say they thrive in harsh places. They would be perfect for Yokohoma Base, Tama."

"Right! With these flowers, the base will become a beautiful place where people can relax anywhere. It would be perfect!" Miki said, excited with her plan.

"Of course, you really are smart, Tama," he then began to pat her head.

"A he he he, thanks, Takeru-san," the pink-haired girl could only blush and close her eyes, fully enjoying the treatment.

"Well, I have to go, Tama, maybe I could help you next time."

Miki got disappointed for moment as the young man removed his hands from her head, but it changed to curiosity as she said, "Where are you going, Takeru-san?"

"To Tokyo, Tama, I still have to finish my errands."

"Aww, but next time you'll help me in planting these flowers in the base right?" she cutely asked.

"It's a promise, Tama!" he said as he left.

"Good luck, Takeru-san!"

"Thanks Miki!"

-000-

(2001/10/28) (Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo – Ikaruga's Office)

"Hello there, Ikaruga-san." Takeru said as he entered his office through the open window, waving at the black-haired man wearing a blue Imperial Guards uniform sitting on his chair behind his desk.

"Who are you, young man? Are you the one the Imperial Guards are looking for?"

"Maybe…. It's a pain to get past them, you know."

Takeru then sat on a chair in front of his desk.

"Are you here to kill me? Be warned that I will make it hard for you."

Takeru shook his head as he grinned. "I'm here to make a deal with you, Takatsugu Ikaruga."

Ikaruga eyed him warily. "Who is this that wishes to make a deal with me?"

"Just a UN cadet named Takeru Shirogane, for now at least."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Well why not open that monitor of yours and tune into a news channel, preferably an American one, and you'll find out."

Takatsugu did what he said and turned on the monitor on his desk with a click and pressed some buttons.

[— is a new shift in the TSF manufacturing world today as the old rival companies, Northrock Grunnan and Lockweed Mardin, both large and influential American companies specializing on TSF development, had a merger. Here is a recording of the press conference with both presidents of the said companies.]

[We have concluded that the rivalry between our companies would just be detrimental to TSF development. Even with the recent advances, we have yet to thwart the threat of BETA, which is why Northrock Grunnan and Lockweed Mardin will have a company merger.]

[What would be the name of this new company?]

[Nebula.]

Ikaruga then turned off the monitor.

"I would assume that the reason for this merger is you, Takeru Shirogane... Only one more question before the deal…" Ikaruga then narrowed his eyes. "They were rivals and both leading in the TSF development race. How did you manage to do the impossible?" he asked, still having a calm face. As expected from man who became a head of one of the families that have close relations with the Emperor of Japan.

"I can do a lot of things that you can't even begin to comprehend Ikaruga-san. Let's just say, I have my ways."

Ikaruga nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"So what is this deal you speak of?"

"I want your support when the _Storm of Cherry Blossoms_ happens in this country."

"A storm of cherry blossoms…? You speak in riddles, Shirogane. And what will you offer me in return for this so called support?"

Takeru grinned. "You will see a true united Japan, a truly united humanity fighting and defeating BETA. You will see the Golden Age of Mankind."

Ikaruga closed his eyes. "Golden Age of Mankind… Tempting, but I'm still not sure of the favor or this coming storm that you speak of."

"I think you already know, Ikaruga-san."

The black haired man opened his eyes, giving Takeru a piercing look.

"So you too know of the weakness of this dying country… Very well, but first, I must see results. Do not disappoint me, Takeru Shirogane."

"Ah, but you will never be disappointed. Results will be coming in the next few weeks or earlier."

Then a loud sound was then head as the wooden door slammed open, interrupting their talk.

"Takatsugu-sama! We have a breach in the—You!" Mana Tsukuyomi, a woman with long green hair and green eyes wearing a red Imperial Guards uniform, yelled, tightening her grip on her katana as she entered the office. The _three idiots_, which is the affectionate name he gave them back in the old world, flanked her. The members are namely Yukino Tomoe, the uniquely, brown haired girl with brown eyes, Tatsumi Kamiyo, the girl with short violet hair and blue eyes, and Minagi Ebisu, with her blond hair styled in two buns and golden eyes. The three of them were wearing gray versions of the Imperial Guards uniform. Now though, they were all giving him very intense glares.

"Tsukuyomi-san, good evening. Sorry about this, you see, I just wanted to talk to Ikaruga-san here." Takeru raised his right hand as he gestured to the black-haired man.

"How dare you, you disrespectful bug. You should die!"

Unsheathing her katana, she tried to cut Takeru vertically in half, but he managed to deflect it by kicking it sideways and trapping it to the floor with the soles of his military commissioned boots.

"How?" She asked in astonishment while trying to remove her weapon from its confines.

Takeru then jumped away, releasing the katana and making Tsukuyomi-san stumble a bit in the process, and landed on a ledge in the open window of Ikaruga's office.

"Just come to the Yokohama Base tomorrow morning, Tsukuyomi-san, then I'll tell you, and do bring those three girls behind you."

_Die! _Takeru heard her thoughts asshe pulled a gun from her uniform and aimed at his direction, thankfully, he managed to deflect the bullet with a knife.

"A ha ha, please don't be trigger happy tomorrow, something scary might happen, you know."

She fired more, Takeru deflecting them all, each loudly dropping to the wooden floor.

"What are you?" she said wide-eyed, still pulling the trigger of her gun even though it had no ammunition left. The same expression was also on the three girls behind her.

"Sorry, Tsukuyomi-san. I love to chat but I have to go, got an important event to manage tomorrow, you see… Ah, what am I saying, you'll just find out tomorrow."

He then turned and nodded at Ikaruga.

As he nodded back in reply, Takeru jumped to a nearby ledge and made his way towards the room where he knows he'll meet her.

-000-

(Yuuhi – The Oleander) (Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo – The Shogun's Private Quarters)

The Imperial Guards were in disarray, news of someone getting pass spreading. However, one young woman could not care less as she was fidgeting, somewhat feeling that an eventful meeting would take place within moments.

"Obasan, could you get me something to drink," she requested to the old woman beside her.

"Are you okay, little one… What are those Imperial Guards doing? They are making their Shogun worry…. Just wait here alright?"

As the Great Chamberlain left, Yuuhi heard a knock on the window. Curious and wary, she began to walk towards it. As she opened the window, she saw a young man with short brown hair and brown eyes, entering through it.

"Thank you, Yuuhi."

She then saw him remove one of his white gloves and touched her forehead gently.

A sudden rush of memories and emotion then assaulted her, her legs weakening as she began to lose her balance with a glazed look in her eyes. Thankfully, the young man caught her in his arms.

"Sorry about that, Yuuhi…"

"Ta-Takeru-sama…? Takeru-sama!" Yuuhi then hugged the man, happiness welling up inside of her.

"Shhh… Please be quiet, Yuuhi… We only got moments to talk this time before the guards would come. Just know this, Yuuhi; I just gave you your memories of past loops and other worlds…"

The girl could not care less even if he was the devil or whatnot. She just wanted to be with him, forever.

"But Takeru-sama… can I come with you?"

"Not yet, Yuuhi, remain as the Shogun for the moment okay? Don't worry I'll come back from time to time to talk about things with you"

"But—"

"Shhh… Don't worry; Meiya is fine, just stay here for now…. I trust you, Yuuhi; I know you can do this. Ask Ikaruga-san for further information on what I'm planning, but don't tell him about the memories. You could also ask Tsukuyomi-san after next week."

Yuuhi nodded.

Takeru then jumped back to the edge of the open window and turned to face her. "See you, Yuuhi." And he left.

Yuuhi stood up to look for him, but he was already gone.

"See you, Takeru-sama," Yuuhi murmured to no one.

The door to her quarters then opened as the Great Chamberlain entered.

"Hmm? Why are you there by the window and why are you smiling? Did something good happen?"

With a smile and a blush on her cheeks, she looked at the night sky through her window.

"Nothing, obasan, just remembered some really good memories."

-000-

(Mikoto – The Coreopsis) (Yokohama Base Barracks)

Mikoto was curled up, sitting and hugging her knees, with the door to a room behind her back, waiting. Waiting for a man, she knew who could ease her worries. Waiting for the man, she began to like. She then heard footsteps of someone walking toward her direction making her look up from her position.

"Mikoto, what are you doing in front of my room? It's midnight already. You should be sleeping now, especially with the evaluations tomorrow."

"Sorry, Takeru-san, I heard from Miki-san that you were already back so I waited here... I really wanted to talk with you."

Takeru sighed and then sat beside her.

"So what do you want to talk about, Mikoto?" Takeru asked.

"Umm… Now I really don't remember… E he he."

Mikoto then scooted to get closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulders, closing her eyes.

"Sigh… The same old Mikoto…You know, sometimes I just can't understand you."

"E he he, sorry, Takeru-san… Hmm, now I remember. I wanted to talk to you about the evaluations tomorrow."

"The evaluations? You shouldn't worry about such things… Just do your best and everything will be fine."

"E he he, thanks for the advice, Takeru-san. You know. I could stay like this for the rest of the night..."

He softly knocked her head.

"Ow... why did you do that Takeru-san?" she said as she raised her head from the comfortable position to face him.

"You should sleep, Mikoto. It would be bad if you are sleep deprived tomorrow."

The blue haired girl leaned one last time to the young man's shoulders to remember the feeling, and after several seconds, she stood up and walked in front of the still prone young man. "You're right, Takeru-san, I should rest to be in my hundred percent for tomorrow!" Mikoto then leaned down to get close to his face and kissed him in his left cheek.

As she pulled herself away, Mikoto saw Takeru having a look of surprise on his face, a blush now on his cheeks. "Thanks Takeru, good night!" she then turned her back from him and ran towards her quarters, a big smile on her face and a huge blush on her cheeks, confident that she will have a very good dream for the night.

-000-

**(Author's Notes) **

Hello readers, thank you to those that reviewed, followed, and favorited this fic and the ideas that you guys have graciously given.

To those first time reading through this fic, thank you, hope you enjoyed it. To those that had read the original, yes, Takeru is nerfed from his god-like status, with his telepathy, superhuman body, skills, and intellect, as his only aces against his enemies, which when you think about it thoroughly, is enough. As I already said, if he was still a pseudo-accelerator, then using TSFs would be just counterproductive to him, and in turn unexciting, since Muv-Luv: Alternative is about mecha.

I also changed the company name from Shirogane Conglomerate to Nebula, since I thought it would be weird for an American company to have a Japanese name as its name.

As for the other girls, like those in the Valkyries, don't worry, I already have plans for them.

Another thing is the naming convention; I'll be using the western way of first name then last name than the otherwise, like my other fics, for consistency and to not make myself, and some of the readers, confused. But if you want, you can just imagine that the cahracters are using the Japanese convention of last name first during some of the dialogs

I think that is all. I accept any criticism and reviews for this story. Thank you for reading and good day.


	4. Chapter 4 - Blooming Flowers

**Arc 1 – A Very Long Prologue**

Disclaimer: âge, Sega, and Games Workshop owns Muv-Luv, Sakura Taisen, and Warhammer 40k Franchises and their characters respectively.

**Chapter 4 – Blooming Flowers**

(2001/10/28) (Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo)

"Hmm, an intruder that got past the Imperial Guards and even left the perimeter unscathed... am I hearing this right? Ikaruga?" said a man sitting behind an oaken desk.

He was of age about late twenties. With long violet hair bunched to the side of his face with green circlets and black eyes, wearing a Japanese Imperial Army officer's uniform with a blue shawl over his shoulders. He was sitting on a lavish European chair, which offers a stark contrast to the Japanese room with the sliding _shoji_ doors and_ tatami_ floor. The contrast can also be seen with all the European furniture he had in the room: from catholic religious paintings to German beer mugs.

"Yes, Kyogoku-sama. With unknown methods, the said intruder managed to get past the gates and entered the palace. 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi managed to confront the intruder in a way, but then the invader evaded her, somehow."

The man known as Keigo Kyogoku, the son of the current Emperor of Japan and the one next line for the throne, began to tap his desk, curiosity on his face, while the man, Takatsugu Ikaruga, stood in front of him.

"Ikaruga, did this Tsukuyomi managed to identify the intruder?" Kyogoku said, raising an eyebrow at the man in front of him.

"No sir. Basing from 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi's report, the intruder moved fast, thus she couldn't manage to identify the intruder. She only managed to know the intruder's gender, which was male."

"Hooo, thus this mean that the Imperial Guards are incompetent? How can they protect the Shogun, much more the emperor if one man could get past them? Especially this Tsukuyomi… hmmm?" the man behind the desk said to the black-haired man in front of him, smiling a condescending smile.

Ikaruga suddenly did a _seiza_, bowing his head and hitting the _tatami_ floor with his forehead. "If it pleases you, Kyogoku-sama, then his Excellency can take this humble servant's head as an apology from this indiscretion from the Imperial Guards."

The man just stared down at the bowing man behind his desk, not changing his expression. "Rise, Ikaruga Takatsugu, such a thing is undeserving of your stature. Do not worry; this incident is of no consequence since no harm was actually done."

Ikaruga then stood up while lowering his head in subservience. "I am thankful, Kyogoku-sama; the Imperial Guards will not disappoint you again."

Keigo Kyogoku nodded in reply and waved his hand to gesture the man in front of him to take his leave. As Ikaruga was walking towards the shoji to exit the room, the next in line to the throne said, "Make sure you do, Ikaruga, especially when I am on the throne."

"Yes, Kyogoku-sama." Ikaruga replied as he closed the shoji.

Kyogoku then stood up and went to a cupboard to his right. Getting a bottle of red wine, he poured himself a glass.

"Lying bastard, that Ikaruga scion…. and an intruder eh… no matter. Sooner or later I will have this country in my hands for me to mold into my liking, not like that sorry excuse of a political tool for a father, returning it to its glory days."

He then took a sip of the fine drink, making his lips red and spilling some to the side, giving him an eerie look as though he just drank blood.

"And if Alternative V succeeds… I can always make a new country for myself. U fu fu… to my Japan."

-000-

(2001/10/28) (Yokohama Base Barracks – Takeru's Quarters)

"That was surprising." Takeru touched his right cheek, the place Mikoto kissed. It was sudden. He never really expected something like that from her. _A cute and girly Mikoto…_ A surge of memories then began flashing in his head. _Ugh… these memories… I see…_ He then concluded that it was actually natural for her to act like that. He almost forgot that they were…

"Together."

He shook his head deciding that he should forgo such a thought for next time. Now, he needed sleep.

As he entered his room, he halted, his legs stopping their forward motion.

He was in awe, stuttering, his body shaking, and his sleepiness gone, as he saw one of the most gorgeous things he had seen in his life.

"Welcome back, Takeru."

A sensual voice echoed throughout the small quarters, reverberating throughout his being, making the hairs on his nape stand in a very good way.

White skin, so obviously supple and soft, with curves accenting femininity, not too large but not small either, perfect, ready to entice those that had the honor to behold it. Black lingerie, lacy with flowery design for the upper and the lower, skimpy enough to awaken the man inside him, covered her being. Lips as red as roses and devilish eyes enough to enrapture any lesser man, he was almost speechless.

"Y-yuuko-sensei!?"

"U fu fu, do you like what you see?"

Yuuko Kouzuki, the woman who's in the forefront of Alternative IV and the battle against BETA, the woman who guided him, manipulated him, and thought him, the woman who can sacrifice almost anything for humanity, was sitting on his bed, wearing a black lingerie under her open lab coat, her feet over the other, drinking wine sensually, welcoming him.

"W-what are you doing here!?"

"Oh, can't a woman welcome her lover, or are you already forgetting that you just gave me memories, hmmm?"

"B-but… I t-thought."

"Oh? Are you spurning me now?"

"But the way you acted, I thought…"

"Hmmph! Still dense as ever. Did you not learn anything from your past iterations or are you just that stupid."

"Hey!"

Yuuko took a sip from her glass of wine. "Why don't you sit? I'm sure you're tired from your journey."

"Where?"

Yuuko gestured to an empty space on the bed, beside her.

"B-but."

"Oh don't be stickler. Sit…. Or do you want me t—"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Takeru rushed to her side, nervous, and then sat beside her, near enough that he could feel the warmth of her body.

"Better. So, wanna do it."

Takeru choked, panicking at the sudden proposal from the mature and very sexy woman. "N-not right now, Yuuko…. Still busy…. And were in my quarters, what if someone sees."

"Don't you know that Eishi's had freedom in sex and relationships as an incentive due to their high mortality rates?"

"B-but…."

"Sheesh, then how about a massage, just like how we used to…."

A sudden flash of an image, a fragment of a memory from another world, came to him, a scene of Yuuko massaging him after a hard day's work in a lab.

"Okay…."

Her hands were soft, that he was sure, but he was not ready to how stimulating her hands were after she took the upper half of his clothes off. Skillful movements that relaxed his muscles, but at the same time was making his body hot, it was such a dangerous technique that if he didn't divert his attention from such an amazing practice from the woman, he would've have taken her, then and there. Thus, he asked, "Aren't you interested how the dealing with those guys in America went?"

Yuuko noticed his goal for asking, basing from the disappointed look on her face; still she humored him. "So how did it go?"

"Alright…. I managed to _negotiate_ with them to rebuild Nebula by merging the companies. Though I did I have to kill someone to accomplish it."

"It's unavoidable; we're in a war right now."

"I know…. But it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"Don't worry, at least now you're learning."

"How do you do it, Yuuko?"

The movement of her hands stopped for a second, but then she continued her massage in a rougher manner. "Hmm…?"

"How can you still be you when you had sacrificed much?"

"I'm not…. I'm human too. Every sacrifice I made—my friends, my family—all killed me inside, chipping away my morality, my soul. But in the end, my being is a small price to pay to save humanity."

"You really selfless."

"No, I'm selfish."

I'm greedy, for I want the world to recognize me, Yuuko said.

She then stopped her massage and took the glass that she used to drink wine earlier, filled it up to its brim, and offered it to him. As he took a sip, she too did the same, their face close to each other, looking at each other's eyes, looking at each other's soul.

_Yuuko._

It was several moments later that they moved from their static positions, the wine inside the glass barely touched as Yuuko placed it on his desk. "By the way, I'm really curious about this telepathy and memory transference of yours, any problems with it yet?"

"None so far, though I find it convenient that I don't hear everybody's voice every time around me, or when I transfer memories, it's always those the memories where I have the most influence to the one I'm using the ability to. I suspect that somehow, since I'm the medium of the memory transfer, only the memories from their alternate selves that had been close to me are being transferred."

"Hmm, that is convenient, though in a sense, also makes sense. As for the telepathy thing, your fortunate, Takeru, I heard and seen some cases where those that had the ability had gone crazy from hearing the inside voices of everyone around them, though you should still be careful. Don't worry; I'll try researching some of my files about Alternative III to try circumventing such an outcome."

"Thank you, Yuuko."

Yuuko lifted her feet to lie on his bed. She then took his blanket and covered her lower half with it. "Say, Takeru, what do you think will happen tomorrow?"

"I don't really know. I just hope that they would take the memory transfer well."

"Heeh."

"So…. Aren't you going to leave?"

She then lied on his small bed, covering herself more with the blanket up to her nose, with her devilish eyes looking expectantly at him. "U fu fu, do you really think such a thing will happen."

"A-ah."

"At least let me sleep beside you for the night, Takeru."

With no other choice, Takeru did the same, lying on his small bed, their bodies close, her warmth enveloping him much better than his blanket, still, it was two hours later that he finally managed to sleep.

-000-

(Kasumi – The Lotus) (2001/10/29) (Yokohama Base Barracks – Takeru's Quarters)

Kasumi was angry.

No.

Kasumi was pissed.

And the same could be said with her red-haired companion, Sumika.

Right in front of them was Takeru, sleeping, with an idiotic smile on his face. No, there was nothing wrong about that, for it was the usual thing that she would always see every morning when she wakes him up. The problem was, he was naked, though only his top as his pants were still on. The much more problematic and anger inducing was that he was sleeping on Yuuko's… bosom, his head buried on her cleavage, as the vice-commander of Yokohama Base was only in her underwear and lab coat sleeping beside him.

Kasumi decided to take out her weapon of choice, her thick, hardbound, daily diary.

"Ta-ke-ru…." Sumika growled beside her as they approached the sleeping young man. "Wake up!"

"Not yet Sumika, still need sleep…."

"Grrr… Well then! Drill…!"

Takeru suddenly opened his eyes, clearly in panic.

"Milky…!"

Sumika cocked her hand back, as she poured all her strength into it.

"Way…!"

Takeru stood up, but he was too late.

"Punch…!"

Sumika punched him on his jaw, launching him off his bed. However, it was still not enough to curb their anger, so Kasumi spun, "Ei," and hit him in the face with her thick, hardbound, daily diary, changing his course of flight to the wall near the door.

"O-ow…," he groaned in pain as he slid down on the wall.

Yuuko then woke up from all the noise and the shouting, scratching her head. "What's all the racket? It's still early in the morning."

"How could you, sensei?"

"How could you."

"Oh, if it's not the psychic duo." Yuuko then took the blanket and covered herself up. "U fu fu, you two are too late, he's already mine."

"W-wha—"

"Waaaa—"

"We didn't do anything! Look, do I look like I did the deed to you?"

"Oh, how cruel, denying the beautiful experience that we had last night as though it was nothing!"

"Takeru!"

"She lying!" he said, but as he noticed that his excuse wasn't working, he prostrated before Kasumi and Sumika and begged. "Please have mercy on me!"

"U fu fu, you really are funny, Takeru." Yuuko then removed then blanket covering her and stood up, not even embarrassed that she was only wearing a lab coat and her lingerie, proudly exposing her body, which made her and Sumika a bit conscious of their in adequacy compared to the vice-commander. "Don't worry; the prince is not sullied, yet." She then showed her devilish grin as though she was issuing a challenge. "Well then, I think it's time for me to take my leave, I still have preparations to do for our trip." Yuuko then sauntered towards the door, winking at the still prostrating young man before she left.

"Kasumi!"

"Yes."

"Let's do our best."

"Yes."

"Umm… can I stand now?"

"No!"

"Then, can I ask you two why you're here?"

"Have you already forgotten, Takeru-chan? We're supposed to wake you up!"

"Wake up."

"But that witch was beside you. Did she drug you, Takeru-chan?"

"Hypnotism."

"What hell is this sudden switch!? You just attacked me!"

"They're just minor detail, Takeru-chan."

"Details."

"I almost lost consciousness there, you know." Takeru then stood up. Somehow, Kasumi couldn't help but ogle at his toned body, though the reason was unknown to her.

"Kasumi?" Sumika nudged her, waking her up from her stupor.

"Ah."

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"Okay…"

"Umm, can you too wait for me outside; I still have to take a bath. Or maybe you want to watch?"

Kasumi and Sumika blushed as images of him came flashing on their minds.

"Takeru, you idiot!"

"Idiot."

Both of them then ran outside, exiting the room.

"I knew it already, but Takeru-chan's really sexy."

She didn't know what Sumika meant; still she felt that she should agree. "Yes."

Several minutes later, Takeru came out, wearing the UN cadet uniform and his white gloves.

"Well then, good luck to me."

"Don't worry; it will all turn out alright."

"No problem."

"Thanks."

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (Yokohama Base Airfields)

"Tsukuyomi-san?" Meiya said as she saw a green-haired woman approaching with the three familiar girls following behind. _What are the Imperial Guards doing here?_

It was beautiful morning, notwithstanding the ruins visible outside the base, with the morning sun above their heads, giving off light to the desolate wasteland. The group consisted of Meiya, Kei, Chizuru, Miki, and Mikoto accompanied by their instructor, Sergeant Jinguuji, and the Vice-commander. All of them were waiting for the young man and the two new members of the squad so that they could start their trip. They all had surprised look on their faces as they saw the Imperial Guards walking towards them in a disciplined manner expected of their status.

"Good morning to you, Meiya-sama," the green haired woman said as she bowed towards her, which was followed in turn by the three girls saying, "A good day to you, Meiya-sama," also bowing respectfully.

"Why are you here Tsukuyomi-san? Is there any problem in the palace as to merit your presence in the base?"

"No, Meiya-sama. A young man named Shirogane Takeru asked us to come today at this time, which I may ask, where is he?" Tsukuyomi replied, looking suspiciously at the people behind the blue-haired girl.

"Ah, when? Moreover, if he did ask you, why come? Isn't he only a cadet? Yes, he is talented, and you might have notice if you have met him, he had an air to him that demands respect, but he does not have enough influence as to garner the attention of people such as yourselves, Tsukuyomi-san."

"But that is where you are wrong, Meiya-sama. That young man _is_ influential, very much so that he managed garner the interest of Ikaruga-sama," Tsukuyomi replied, answering Meiya's question.

The revelation made the blue haired girl's eyes widen.

"Ikaruga? W-what…? How?"

Tsukuyomi narrowed her eyes and said, "So that conniving young man had not told you anything.… Very well, I will reveal to you what we found out later, Meiya-sama, but—"

"But!"

A voice suddenly interrupted Tsukuyomi, garnering the group's attention, placing their gazes towards the three new comers walking towards them.

"Ah, Tsukuyomi-san, sorry for interrupting you, but I will tell you all the truth when we get to the designated place for the evaluation, alright? No worries," the young man in the middle of the approaching group said nonchalantly as though talking about the weather, flanked by the two girls, Sumika with her cheery smile on his right and Kasumi with her stoic face on his left.

The group had confused looks on their faces at his sudden interruption, except for Tsukuyomi and her group as they tightened their grips on their katana.

"What are you planning, you monster?" the green-haired woman asked the approaching young man, who stopped at her accusation, her voice low and threatening.

_Monster?_ Meiya thought.

"Monster…? Maybe? I don't really know anymore…," he replied solemnly, making the girls of Squad 207 look at him in shock.

This prompted the Sumika and Kasumi to go in front of him, arms wide, as though protecting him from Tsukuyomi.

"Takeru-chan is not a monster! Take back what you said, Tsukuyomi-san!" Sumika shouted with a determined expression on her face, glaring at Tsukuyomi.

"Who are you little girl? How do know my name? What is he to you? Or the more correct question would be; what are you to him? His plaything?" The barrage of questions laced with insult intensified the glare Sumika was giving while Kasumi besides her was also now having the same expression of rage.

The air around them suddenly changed, as an ominous feeling surrounded them.

"Do not test us woman!" both of the girls said in the same time in a loud, eerie, and threatening monotone.

_What is happening?_

Meiya could see Tsukuyomi widen her eyes, same with the three girls with her.

"Sumika! Kasumi! Stop!" the young man ordered, making the two girls in front of him to turn their heads to him.

"Takeru-chan?" the both of them said at the same time, sweetly, changing their demeanor fast like flip of a coin.

"It's alright, Tsukuyomi-san just a made mistake, it won't happen, okay?" he said, trying to calm the girls as he gave the woman a glare.

Tsukuyomi nodded, calming the enraged girls. Dropping their arms, they returned to Takeru's side.

"Alright! With that done, we should all enter the plane to start this exciting trip!" Takeru said, changing the mood around the group.

The declaration made them nod as they began to enter the plane.

"You too, Tsukuyomi-san, and the three in the back, you are all invited to come too. You are also a part of this you see. Don't worry; didn't Ikaruga-san give his word of confidence on me?"

The green-haired woman and the three girls gave him a piercing look but then deferred to his request as they began to enter the aircraft.

The young man sighed and said, "I hope this doesn't blow over me…"

"What are you talking about, Takeru?" Meiya asked.

"Don't worry; it's nothing."

_I hope so._

As the door closed, the engine growled as the propellers began to spin, making the plane move on the tracks and soon flew towards a certain southern island.

-000-

(A certain southern island)

The plane smoothly landed on a pathway, stopping at a small terminal. It was a small airport, newly built if one could notice the details.

_Those guys really did a number on this island._

Even though he already knew the capabilities of Nebula, the sight still awed him. Then again, when he thought about it, if the Mitsurugi Zaibatsu can terraform a school in the middle of a city into a jungle in a few hours for a silly paint ball war game, then Nebula terraforming a whole island into something like a vacation resort was to be expected.

Nearby the small terminal was Meiya's chauffeur back in the old world, Takahashi Ichimonji, waiting. He was with several people who were working under Nebula and a limo, to serve as the groups ride.

However, he noticed something about his current thought process, _When did I start calling my original world the old world…?_

As the group got off from the aircraft, Takahashi greeted them. "Takeru-sama, everyone, welcome; I hope that your group had a good flight." He had a butler outfit like the one he always wore back in the old world and Takeru noticed that the limo was also of the same model….

The limo was impossibly long….

"Welcome, President Shirogane."

The people behind him also greeted him with bows, which in turn he nodded back in reply, recognizing their presence.

"Hello, Takahashi-san, is everything fine, are there problems on building this place?"

He asked in all but formality. Gruss and Tezla are very competent with what they do and organizing the construction of this place might just be too easy for them, therefore he already knew that everything went perfect.

_I almost forgot._

Takeru then turned back and saw the group of females with him staring wide eyed at the place, especially the extreme changes from the last time they were here. Near the small airfield was a paved road leading to a large gate emblazoned with the stylized letter N for each side, which then directly leads to a western mansion. Given that it was not a big island, he could describe it from his position. The jungle was still intact on the side of the road and outside the gates of the mansion, which gives the place a unique and tropical atmosphere.

_Still, those guys got overboard. _Even though he said to build cottage that could fit a large group, they made a mansion instead in, the middle of a tropical island.

"W-w-what the hell!" Chizuru seemed unable to contain her surprise, shouting out in disbelief. Even her glasses where tilting on one side.

"So this is the power of Nebula. To change the once inhospitable jungle into something like this… Ho ho ho…, though I already expected it, I'm still impressed. Good job, Takeru." Yuuko- said, her gaze hovering over him up and down.

_Is she checking me out? Seriously, this is…. Wait, it is possible… Damn you memories for not letting me make act dense. _What happened last night was also another factor.

Yuuko then sauntered towards him and then whispered to his ear. "Want to continue what we're supposed to do last night? Ta-ke-ru."

Takeru's body stiffened at provocative act from Yuuko.

"Yuuko! What are you doing!? And Cadet Shirogane! Explain this!"

Thankfully, Marimo was there as a buffer against Yuuko.

"Muu, Marimo… oh well"

Yuuko then stepped back, but not before she licked his ear. She then gave him a seductive wink and a devilish smile.

_Yuuko… you're killing me…._

Takeru then shook himself from his stupor and began his explanation. "Well, I asked some friendly people to build this place for us to stay for a couple of days, but it seemed that they got overboard a bit.…"

"A bit? A bit!? Look at this place! It's not a freaking bit!" Chizuru seemed emotional today, which might prove to be a problem for Takeru later.

Thankfully, there's Takahashi-san to save the moment.

"Ah, humble as always, Takeru-sama, why not leave the explanations for later after we get inside the mansion."

Takahashi-san then opened the door to the limo and gently urged the group to enter, which they complied, even the Imperial Guards, entering the vehicle one by one. Not surprisingly, the group managed to fit in nicely.

_I hope that he won't do his high-speed drifting…_

They arrived at the mansion after several minutes. It was a short ride as he could even walk from the small airport to the mansion without him even breaking a sweat, but formalities and such things was the major SOP for such situations, and it would be insulting to the servants not to oblige on their services.

However, Takeru did not recruit Takahashi-san just for this measly role. _Maybe he asked those guys to be the one to facilitate us here…_

As they arrived in the mansion, getting off the absurdly long vehicle, they entered the large structure through a huge wooden double door with intricate flower designs.

"Follow me," Takahashi said making the group follow him.

The girls were staring at the place, turning their heads from time to time. Inside was what one would see on a stereotypical mansion, a big hall with two large curving stairs in each side leading up to the second floor with another wooden double door with an intricate flower design below, with red walls and red carpeting that leads to the mentioned door to the main door. There was also a tasteful chandelier at the very high ceiling offering light, and some ingeniously placed decorations from china jars to some exquisite paintings.

After some walking, climbing up the stairs, and walking through some more halls in the second floor, with several doors leading to their respective rooms, they arrived at a particular room that one might not expect from such a cliché setting.

"Here we are, the _Cottage _room," Takahashi-san said professionally.

The room, as the name implied, was a cottage, with wooden planks as the walls and floor and some sofas and chairs to sit around a nice table. There was also a single large window for a good view of the island as they stuck a fireplace leading to a chimney on one corner.

The room was the only cottagey part of the mansion… and cottagey is not even a word….

_What a way to bypass some minor technicalities._ In a way, it impressed Takeru.

The group then sat to where they were comfortable.

"Lunch will be served after a while so sit tight and enjoy. Hopefully, you would have a meaningful discussion."

Takahashi-san then left, closing the door.

One might get curious as to where all of the stuff inside the Mansion came from; the answer would be America, Australia, and especially Africa. Given that these countries still have not been overrun by the BETA, their economy was still somewhat stable and most of their resources intact. The two companies under Nebula didn't only manufacture TSF's as it would be stupid to limit themselves on a single market and he knows that those guys can deliver, even if they can get overboard sometimes.

"Takeru, what is this place? Why does that man call you like that?" Meiya was fidgeting when she asked.

It was ironic. It was as though their places were interchanged. This time Takeru was the one who was absurdly rich, while Meiya was in his position back in the original world, overwhelmed by everything around her, and given her situation as the supposedly cursed twin of the Shogun, such frivolities were denied to her.

To deny a girl a good life just because of an old superstition and to dump to the other such overwhelming responsibility.

_Disgusting._

"Yeah! What's all of this? The mansion, that small airport, even that plane we were on… and what is this Nebula Vice-commander spoke of? Who are you?" Chizuru said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

The rest of the original members of the squad nodded in support to the girl's questions, confusion clear on their faces, while the rest were silent, well, except for Yuuko, since she was grinning, enjoying the show, Kasumi, who was looking as stoic as always, and Sumika, who was smiling, encouraging him. As for the Imperial Guards, they were standing near the door, with unreadable looks on their faces.

Takeru was sitting on a chair where everyone could see him. Clamping his hands in front of him as rested his elbows to the arms of the chair he was sitting on. He then began.

"Let's see… First, I would like to explain how this island became like this and the Nebula bit that Yuuko-sensei said. Hmm, do you girls remember my short trip to America last Saturday?"

"I remember! You said you were on an errand by the Vice-commander!"

He nodded at Mikoto, who was still obliviously cheerful.

"Right you are, Mikoto."

"E he he…." Mikoto blushed from his praise.

"You see, when I was there, I managed to get in touch with my two aids, namely Mr. Tezla and Mr. Gruss, and managed to acquire two companies, Lockweed Mardin and Northrock Grunnan, for a merger creating Nebula, which became official last night."

"Lockweed Mardin and Northrock Grunnan, aren't those major TSF manufacturers and developers in America?"

Marimo-chan seemed to know their significance to the war effort, which made the others look incredulously at him, except for Tsukuyomi-san, Kasumi, Sumika, and Yuuko, who still had the same expressions on their face.

"Yes they are, Marimo-chan, with the Raptor and Black Widow II as their latest projects respectively. As of now, the Raptor would be the next main stay for the armed forces of the United States of America. Both of these TSF's are comparable with the Takemikazuchi—"

"Nonsense, nothing can compare with the Takemikazuchi!" Kamiyo, the violet-haired girl on Tsukuyomi's right, boasted, interrupting him, puffing her chest with her so-called Japanese pride.

"Your foolish Japanese pride will kill you someday, Kamiyo… in very horrible ways."

"What!? You!"

Kamiyo tried to charge at him, ready to unsheathe her katana, but Tsukuyomi managed to stop her. "Let him speak." She then glared at him. "Do not overstep your bounds, Shirogane."

Takeru glared back. "Same to you…"

Tsukuyomi flinched and then returned to their position.

He then turned his attention back to the group and continued with the current topic of discussion.

"As I was saying, Nebula has two new units that are comparable to the Takemikazuchi, Russia's Berkut, Europe's Typhoon, and its French counterpart, Rafale, and lately, the TSF Boening with three other companies of Japanese of origin, namely Fugaku, Mitsuhishi, and Kawazaki, had just finished, with the help of UN's Project PROMINENCE, the Shiranui Second. Anyway, enough of this talk about TSF's, just know that I own Nebula which would only continue to grow with its future acquisitions."

Most of the girls of the original Squad 207 were now giving him wary glances and while others were in disbelief.

_I'm sorry…._

"Second would be why we are here."

"Evaluation…," Kei stoically said.

"No there will be no evaluations."

"What!?" Some were now looking at him in shock while Chizuru was glaring at him… _She's sharp; I'll give her that._

"On what authority, Cadet Shirogane!?" Marimo shouted, angry at what she perceived as insubordination.

"On his authority as a captain, Marimo. He was directly promoted to the rank last Saturday by General Radhabinod himself before his short trip to America. As for the reason, it's classified information." Yuuko replied for him, making the woman look incredulously at her, somehow forgetting her rage. She then sat back on her chair with a difficult to read expression on her face.

"Did... did you lie to us, T-Takeru-san? Was everything you said to us a lie?" Miki asked him with a brokenhearted look on her innocent face, teary eyed.

_I'm sorry…. _"…Yes... but—"

"You bastard! Did you enjoy it!? Huh!?" Chizuru stood up and pointed at him, accusing him, as she interrupted before he could give an excuse, her anger bursting out from his revelations. "Did you enjoy us being played by your insufferable plans like the naive girls we are!? Did you enjoy us stumbling around, laughing at us behind our backs? Did you!?" She was now hysterical, emotions now overflowing from her, shouting at him, tears flowing from her moist eyes behind her glasses. "We trusted you Takeru…. I trusted you… But this… This is too much… I… I'm…" Chizuru then slumped back on her chair, covering her face with her hands, crying.

_I'm sorry…._

The rest of the original members of the squad were in the same state.

Meiya was in shock, staring at nothing, her eyes glazed, as tears fell from her eyes.

_I'm sorry…._

Miki and Mikoto were in Chizuru's side trying to comfort her, as tears were also in their eyes, sometimes looking at him, glaring at him.

_I'm sorry…._

Ayamine just sat on her chair unmoving, a stoic look still on her face, but sometimes she would flinch as though she was holding something back.

_I'm sorry…._

The rest of the group were somehow still acting the same, with Marimo and the Imperial guards in their unreadable expressions, Yuuko-sensei still grinning as though she was enjoying the drama, and Kasumi with her usual stoic expression. Sumika, on the other hand, had a concerned look on her face.

_I'm sorry... _"No, I did not enjoy it nor relish it. However, it was all necessary."

Chizuru raised her head from her hands, tears still flowing from her bleary eyes, her face now red from crying. "Huh? Necessary? Are you kidding me? What now? What now!? Was it all part of a grandiose plan? Huh? …. Next thing you would… say is that it was all part of a plan to save the wo—"

"It is… It was all a part of the plan to save this world from BETA," he answered before Chizuru finished.

"Stop lying to us!"

_I'm sorry…._

"Takeru-chan is not lying. Do you think that if he said these things at the start, you would believe him? Would you trust him? No. It was necessary. It hurts him, not telling you all the truth. He was always smiling, but I know that he is not, inside. He was angry with himself, hating himself. It hurts Kasumi, and me, but we cannot do a thing.…"

_Thanks for defending me, Sumika, but…._

"He is doing this for all—"

"That is enough, Sumika."

Sumika turned her heads towards him with a pleading look on her eyes, but she then sat back down to her chair.

"What I said is not a lie, you could even refer to some people like Ikaruga Takatsugu, Sakon Yoroi, UN Undersecretary General Genjousai Tamase, Prime Minister Kurechika Sakaki, General Paul Radhabinod, and even Yuuko-sensei over there," Takeru said as he pointed at the grinning woman after he mentioned her name.

The girls seemed surprised with some the names…. _Good._

"He's right. Even though it's a funny thought and quite absurd if you ask me. He really does want to save this world," Yuuko said, grinning even more, sitting on the chair as if she owns the place. "And he does have the resources, the mindset, and the skill and talent to make it, in a way, a reality." She then waved her hands nonchalantly.

"He does have amazing capabilities, almost superhuman," Tsukuyomi added while the three girls behind her nodded.

He did a nod as thanks to them and continued his explanation.

"The third point would be on who I really am. As you already know, my name is Takeru Shirogane, but if you had read my records before I came to the base, it would say that I died from a BETA invasion back in 1998."

It was true... He really died back then… and he remembers every single detail of it. The thousands of iterations, in every gruesome way possible… devoured, smashed, dismembered, skinned, violated, he could remember everything.

_Damn, I should not think of stuff like this, especially now, _he said to himself trying to stop his hands from shaking, and his teeth from clattering.

"Yes, the records did say that someone named Shirogane Takeru died back then, but then who are you? What are you?" Tsukuyomi confirmed what he said, narrowing her eyes.

"As I already said, I am Takeru Shirogane… from a parallel world."

"Parallel world?" the group all disbelievingly asked at the same time, except those who already in the know, forgetting their anger at the seeming betrayal for a moment.

"Yes, from a parallel world that is different from this world... a world without BETA."

"Without Beta…?"

"Yes, without BETA, but you would know about it later. The important thing is that somehow, I was transported in this world."

Sumika flinched with a sad look on her eyes.

"I was really shocked and excited when I first came here… especially with the ruins and the mecha. It was as if I was in those _anime_ that I watched back in the old world... I thought I was in a dream... a dream of me becoming a hero… a dream of me saving the world…. However, it turned out to be a nightmare.… Don't misunderstand… I still want to save this world, but I realized that I couldn't do it alone. Stumbling on my own actions and being naive… it took me a thousand… no… I really can't remember how many times I repeated this hell… but it took so much time for me to reach this position and mindset… to learn things... though I think that it was only luck that I manage to become like this now."

"Repeated? Do you mean looping? As in, time loops?" Marimo asked for the listening group, turning to look at Yuuko for confirmation, which the grinning woman gave with a single nod.

"Ah yes, I just didn't jumped parallel worlds, I am also stuck in a time loop. Every time I die, I come back to my room inside the ruins of my house near Yokohama Base. I come back every time on October 22, 2001. But back then I don't really remember my past loops until…." Takeru shook his head. "Regardless, since I was stuck in a loop, I died countless deaths, I saw my friends die again and again in many different and horrifying ways, the world ending a thousand times, humanities extinction by BETA or in their own hands, slowly forging my body and mind into what you see right now."

_I see… I realize now, the merging was just the start. Slowly, I will change into something… I hope that I am still Takeru Shirogane then…._

"Remembering every loop was a painstaking experience that almost made me crazy, and maybe, I already am."

Still, he can't tell them the whole truth, about what he realized what's really happening to him.

"Parallel worlds? Time loops? How can you say all of this with a straight face?" It seemed that there were still doubts in Marimo…. _I could not blame her._

"Then I'll ask you, are aliens real? Is BETA real? Probably back in the 40's, you would think that such things are not real, and if you asked me that back in the old world, I would have thought that you have gone all loopy. But don't worry, you all will believe me soon."

It seemed that argument satisfied her for now, as she never gave a counter argument.

"Continuing on…. You see, Yuuko-sensei had a theory about a pipeline between worlds that allows the exchange of causality information between them, not limited to events and memories, a Causality Conductor."

Yuuko-sensei nodded with her ever-present devilish grin.

"I am that Causality Conductor, an existence that should have not existed."

_But I did... I did exist…._

"This is a lot to take… still, one last question, why are we here?" Marimo asked.

_Ah… almost forgot._

"We never did finish the second point of discussion, very well. As I said, there will be no evaluations. I brought all of you here to give you your memories from past loops and other worlds, which would in turn give you the experience, knowledge, and skills of you counterparts."

"Memories… Is this related to the flashes of images and those strange dreams...?" Kei's comment seemed to perk the attention of the girls, except for Chizuru and Meiya who were still... oblivious to everything that was happening around them.

_I'm sorry…._

Takeru nodded at Kei."Yes, Ayamine, it is related."

Kei then stood up and approached him. She then stopped in front of him and said, "Then let me be the first.…"

This somehow did not surprise Takeru, given how sharp she was on such things. However, those that were paying attention seemed to be in shock.

"Wait! Ayamine!"

Marimo tried to stop Kei. However, Yuuko, held her back, shaking her head at her.

Takeru looked up to the black-haired girl in front of him, and then he stood. He then took the glove off on one of his hands and gently tapped her forehead. Her eyes then glazed, seemingly trying to process the amount of information entering her. He could only thank someone out there that this process is not the same as he had experienced during the Merging. She wobbled a bit but he managed to steady her by holding her waist.

"Takeru…?" she said, slowly getting off from his embrace, steadying herself.

"Ayamine…?" He asked curious as to what she will say.

Takeru then receive an ear-popping slap from the seemingly stoic girl.

….

….

He could only look at her in surprise as he touched his stinging cheek.

"You really are stupid… Takeru… and call me Kei…." She then strode back towards her seat confidently after she said that little bit at him. She then sat on her chair, a radiant smile now on her usually stoic face, giving a single nod at Sumika and Kasumi who also wore the same expression on their faces.

Those that were not in shock seemed confused at the action, their attention turning to Kei.

"How does it feel Kei-chan?" Mikoto asked, still comforting Chizuru who was still crying, with Miki by her side.

"Great… Mikoto…."

The blue-haired girl seemed confused at that since Kei never called her by name before.

"Well, as you can see, there are no adverse effects." Takeru said as the stinging pain on his cheek subsided. "So are you all ready?"

There seemed to be doubts basing from their expressions and most likely, Meiya and Chizuru can't even hear him. However, it seemed Kei's voluntary demonstrations seemed to be working. He really should thank her in the near future. Still, in the end, they nodded.

First was Miki, who seemed to be fine by now, though her face was still red from crying. She gave no protest as he gave her her memories. After the process, she gave him a cute pouting look. "Kei-chan is right, Takeru, you really are stupid." She then pinched his arms to show how displeased she was.

Takeru then did the same to Mikoto who was also in the same state as Miki before the process. She gave him a heart broken look but never did anything to hinder him. After giving her her memories, she did a sigh and gave him her usual cheerful smile. "E he he, Takeru, you need to drink more milk, you're becoming more of an idiot."

_I don't even know how milk can help with preventing and minimizing idiocy._

Then next was Chizuru. He tapped her in the shoulder to get her to look up to him. "Chizuru, do you want me to give you your memories?"

She looked up to him as tears were still flowing from her eyes. "I don' really have a choice… anyway… Go ahead and do it… I don't care anymore.…"

Takeru nodded and tapped her forehead gently. With a glazed look on her eyes, her expression changed from heartbroken, to a beautiful smile, and then to a face full of righteous anger.

Then she punched him hard on the face.

"You idiot! I never knew you would be this stupid! Did your mother dropped you in the head while you were still a baby!?"

Even though she just insulted and yelled at him, he felt great. No, he was not a masochist. It's just that Chizuru was back to normal now. Back to her usual _tsundere _self. However, he really needs to ask for her forgiveness in the future.

Then he turned towards Meiya.

He felt guilty just by looking at her.

She was still staring at nothing as tears were falling from her blue eyes, hurting, in pain, by his lies.

As he neared her, Tsukuyomi, and the three girls with her, blocked his path.

"I won't hurt her, Tsukuyomi-san."

"Then give me my memories first, Shirogane Takeru."

"Tsukuyomi-sama!" Tsukuyomi's decision surprised the three girls.

"This is my duty, do not hinder me."

"Then us too!"

_Well then, Tsukuyomi and the three girls first before Meiya._

He nodded and then gave them each of their respective memories. They were strong, as they did not even flinch from the experience, as expected from the members of the Imperial Guards. Still, he noticed that their expression somewhat softened, seemingly more carefree and relaxed, especially the three girls.

"Waa! It's the crappy commoner!"

It was quite funny, their usual seemingly idiotic behaviors back in the old world in their Imperial Guards uniform. It was quite a surreal site. He could not help but smile of the return of the three idiots.

"Takeru-sama"

_Hmm, Tsukuyomi-san? _He saw her bowing her head at him, which the three idiots followed. They then moved away from his path.

"Do what you must, Takeru-sama," Tsukuyomi-san said urging him to go to Meiya with a smile on her face.

He gave a nod again and neared Meiya.

"I am sorry Meiya."

He then gave her her memories.

After several moments, she looked up at him, tears still falling from her eyes. "Takeru? Is it really you? Is this not a dream?"

"This is no dream, Meiya." He gave her a smile.

Suddenly, she tackled him to the floor, now clinging to his chest as he lay face up, saying his name repeatedly. Takeru patted her head gently. "It's alright now, Meiya, everything's alright; it's not a dream… Shhh… please don't cry anymore…"

She then looked at him, raising her head from his chest, eyes still red from crying, smiling a beautiful and radiant smile.

"Oh my, Meiya-sama, you already learned much do you?" Tsukuyomi suddenly said looking down on them from the side with the three idiots, a knowing smile on her face.

"Congratulations, Meiya-sama!" the three girls followed.

He then realized that he and Meiya were in a very compromising position.

He then frantically looked around and saw some of the squad were blushing while the others were glaring at him. Sumika was also fuming, readying her secret technique to be used on him if he doesn't get up fast. At that, he then urged Meiya to stand, which she did so, albeit slowly and reluctantly.

_Yes, this is how it supposed to be.… This is how things should have been…._

"Ahem! What about Marimo, Takeru?" Yuuko said, calling his attention, waving her hands towards Marimo.

"Sorry about that."

He then walked towards Marimo to give her her memories.

After a few moments…

"Hooh… wasn't it quite an experience, right, Marimo? I know I do when he did it to me."

Marimo-chan only nodded at Yuuko's remark.

_Hmm, strange…_

"What's wrong, Marimo-chan?"

"Nothing! Takeru…" She shook her head frantically.

"Heeh… close to the young man aren't we Marimo… I might get jealous, you know?" Yuuko said as she leered at Marimo mischievously with a grin on her face.

"Shut up, Yuuko…" Marimo replied, giving Yuuko a glare.

As if on cue, Takahashi-san entered the room.

"Ah, it seems the talks have been finished, is it not?"

"Not yet, Takahashi-san, but everything's fine now."

"Ah, then why don't you have lunch first before continuing, and I think the ladies needed a break."

Takeru nodded at him as some of the group began to proceed to the dining room while the others went to ask where the bathroom was so that they could fix themselves from the emotional roller coaster they had just experienced.

-000-

(The Mansion – Cottage Room)

After an extravagant lunch, Takeru and the group came back to the room to continue their discussion and for him to answer more of their questions.

"So what are we going to do now…, oh great Takeru?" Yuuko asked snidely with her ever-present devilish grin.

"Well, some of you, if you wish, could stay in the island for about a day or two to acclimate yourselves with your memories and the new skills you have, especially the squad."

"But what about the evaluations Takeru? Or should it be Captain Shirogane now?" Chizuru asked, seemingly fully recovered. The same could be said with Meiya.

"Takeru would be fine, Class Rep, as for the evaluations, I did say that it would not happen. Doing it right now would just be repetitive and with your memories, it would just be too easy. Just train yourselves in any way you think would be right and I'll do the rest. You could also reintroduce yourselves in TSF piloting with the simulators we have here, but given the accumulated experience, I think it wouldn't be any problem."

Chizuru shook her head. "Very well, but I doubt we could catch up with you." The comment from her prompted the rest to nod their heads in agreement.

"What about the XM3 Takeru, it is not made yet? This could prove a problem with our piloting." Meiya said.

"Ho ho ho, don't worry, Mitsurugi, the XM3 is already developed and now at a hundred percent, due to our boy-wonder here," Yuuko-sensei answered for him a bit haughtily, laughing, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"That is good news."

"It's already developed!"

"As expected…"

" Takeru's amazing!"

"Cool, Takeru."

Meiya, Class Rep, Kei, Tama, and Mikoto said respectively, giving their own expressions of amazement at the good news.

"Ah, it was nothing really. I only managed to recreate it with Yuuko-sensei here."

"But what about graduation, Takeru-san?" Tama asked sweetly.

"It will happen as soon as we come back to the base, I'll just contact them to get ready."

"Okay!" Tama cutely nodded.

It seems there will be no more questions. With that, the group began to leave. Still, there was something he really wanted to ask for a very long time now, so he called Mikoto, which garnered the attention of the other girls, but thankfully, they did not probe him much about it.

"So what do you want to talk to me about, Takeru?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Well, I want to ask you something?" Takeru was nervous.

"What is it Takeru?"

"Umm… back in the old world; were you a boy or a girl?"

…

…..

….

"Huh?" There was now a confused look on her face.

"Were you a boy or a girl back in the old world?" Takeru reiterated the question.

Mikoto widened her eyes then smiled. "Well…"

"Well?"

"Well.…"

"Well?"

He leaned towards her, their faces an inch from touching each other. _Seriously, this question is bugging me for a very long time._

"It's a secret!" she said with a smile, finger in the side of her lips and closing both of her eyes.

_Did she just…._

"A ha ha, you look funny Takeru, well see ya!" she said, and then ran to catch up with the others

Takeru sighed. _What turns around comes around or something like that._

Regardless, he should give them space and talk to them tomorrow.

-000-

(Chizuru – The Narcissus) (2002/10/30) (The Mansion – Armory)

_Everything's becoming so strange_, Chizuru thought as she continued to tinker with a bulky conglomeration of metal.

"It's really weird when just yesterday I don't even know a quarter of what I'm doing now…," she murmured to herself as she checked another box full metal parts, picking one of the unaccountable identical pieces and placing it to what she's assembling.

Chizuru was on the mansion's armory, assembling different parts from different guns and such so that she could create her own weapon, her face full of dirt and some black machinery oil on her cheeks, as she held a monkey wrench, surrounded by the crates of bullets of different calibers and metallic parts of unknown purposes.

_It feels calming when I'm doing this…._

The place, if one could describe it, was a big underground warehouse full of weaponry and armaments, from simple knives to M242 Bushmasters just lying around, some on top of wooden crates, which contained spare parts. For what purpose this particular part of the mansion existed, she never really cared. Right now though, it was a mess. A disassembled GShG-7.62 machine gun here and some parts of an old M61 Vulcan bullet there. This was far from the ordered state when she first arrived.

_Memories huh… and I was so angry with…. Geh!_

She then threw a random part away, angry.

_I cried so much yesterday… that was so embarrassing._ She blushed, stopping for a moment.

"That stupid Takeru… making me angry…. He could have just told us the first time we met."

She shook her head.

_Not that I would've believed him._

She then returned to her work, getting a random part from another crate full of random parts.

"And these memories of him and me… Argh!" she said, messing her own hair from frustration. "I never thought I could do something like that!" She then threw away another random metal piece, face red, and not caring if it would break or not. This only made the mess in the armory much worse.

She then heard the irregular tapping of footsteps, which made her narrow her eyes.

"Class Rep?"

A voice called her, prompting Chizuru to take action, lifting the huge weapon she was assembling with one hand, and pulling a long ammunition belt with another, feeding it to the huge weapon and pointing it towards the source of the voice.

"Stop or I'll blow you to pieces!"

"Whoa there, Class Rep; don't point that thing at me!" The young man in front of her said, frantically waving his hands and comically shielding himself from the very intense pain she might dish out, which was useless given that if she fired, he would be torn to pieces.

The weapon she was carrying was something akin to a smaller version of GAU-8 rotary cannon of an A-10 Thunderbolt II, but due to its somewhat incomplete state, which was mostly aesthetics, it looked similar to those sci-fi Gatling guns that soldiers carry on their shoulders on a post-apocalyptic world, giving it an intimidating look.

Chizuru sighed.

"You shouldn't surprise people with a sudden entrance, Takeru, especially someone who is working on this baby," she said, waving the ominous looking rotary gun.

"He he… noted… So, are you okay now, Class Rep? You were pretty distraught yesterday."

"It's not really all bad, Takeru." She removed the ammunition belt from the huge gun, casually throwing it away, and then dropped the huge weapon haphazardly. "It's just that, things are happening so fast… and these memories just confuse me sometimes. N-not that I hate it… It's just.…"

Takeru nodded. "I understand, Class Rep, you just need more time… At least I know you're alright." He then turned around and walked away, evading several cluttered pieces of firearms and such.

"Wait!" Chizuru yelled stopping Takeru on his tracks, making him turn around.

"Is there something more you need to tell me, Class Rep?"

"I-I-I'm sorry I accused you of such things, Takeru." she stuttered, bowing her head in apology.

"No, Class Rep, you were right, I did lie to you girls and hurt you in the process. I should be the one apologizing to you."

"No! It was not right! You helped us! You gave us a second chance! I won't let you take all the blame for yourself!"

"Ah…. But I already did, Class Rep… I'm just happy that you girls are now here to support me."

He then turned and left.

She tried to stop him, reaching out her hand to call out to him, but there was no voice, no words would come out of her mouth. She then brought her hand down and sat on the floor, returning to what she was doing before he came, now with new vigor in her eyes.

"I won't let you, Takeru… this time… this time.…"

-000-

(Mikoto – The Coreopsis) (A Certain Southern Island)

"Say Miki-san," Mikoto said while throwing a dagger at her partner, but the pink-haired girl evaded it. "What do you think of things right now?" Her opponent shot her, but she dodged it by hairs breath. "Especially the memories." Her opponent's bullet and her dagger clashed creating sparks, as she deflected the bullet away.

"Well…" Miki fired again from her two guns as she answered, but hitting only air as Mikoto dodged it deftly. "It's not bad, that I'm sure of."

Mikoto then threw two daggers at Miki, but the dual wielding girl managed to dodge them by bending her back backwards, the dagger only hitting the tree behind, as she did a barrel roll to another position to get a good shot.

"But some memories are well… you know…" Miki blushed, as she kicked away another dagger Mikoto threw at her and fired again at the green-haired girl, whom she was discussing important things as though they were not in the middle of a heated battle.

"Ha!" Mikoto shouted as she did a back flip then a cart wheel to dodge the bullets that were sent her way, then jumped and kicked a trunk of a tree to give her a boost as she launched herself towards Miki, a dagger on each hand to stab her, which the gun wielding girl blocked with her two handguns. "Geh! Yeah, some of these memories are just…"

Both Mikoto and Miki blushed as they tried force each other away from their respective weapons.

Suddenly they heard a rustle from the bushes nearby, which made Mikoto throw a couple of daggers while Miki fired twice towards the direction of the noise.

"Woah!" they heard, as Takeru jumped out from the bushes, unharmed, but clearly sweating.

"Takeru!" Mikoto and Miki said, stopping their extreme sparring match to greet the young man.

"Umm... You should be careful where you point those things girls. If it wasn't me, you would've killed someone by now."

This prompted the girls to lower their heads a bit, scratching the back of their heads.

"E he he, sorry about that, Takeru."

"Sorry…"

Mikoto and Miki said respectively.

Takeru sighed and patted both of their heads, ruffling their hair a bit.

"So you were sparring with live weapons? Isn't that a bit dangerous?" Takeru raised an eyebrow as he asked.

"A ha ha, we're not really trying to off each other, Takeru," Mikoto said, waving the dagger in her right hand dangerously.

"Yup, were not seriously fighting!" Miki added, waving both of her hands, still holding her loaded handguns.

Mikoto saw Takeru's eye twitch, confusing her. _Huh?_

"Well… if you say so… It seems you're both fine, but, if one of you gets hurt because of this then I'll never let you do something like this again, okay?"

"Yes, Takeru!" both of them said, nodding.

Takeru then backed away, making way for them to continue their sparing match.

"Return to the mansion for lunch alright?"

"Of course, Takeru!" the girls both sweetly said as they begun another session.

He shook his head and then left.

"Hey, Miki-san." Mikoto threw again another dagger that only hit a tree as Miki evaded it, picking up another seemingly from out of nowhere "What do you think of Takeru?" She then jumped and kicked another tree for a boost, doing a back flip over her pink-haired opponent, throwing a couple of daggers, which then Miki blocked by her guns, clashing and creating sparks in the process.

"I like him Mikoto-san. What about you? Yah!" Miki then gave Mikoto a roundhouse kick, which was blocked by a same kick by Mikoto after she landed.

"He he, I like him too!"

Mikoto then backed away and so was Miki, smiling innocently to each other.

They then both launched towards each other, Mikoto throwing unaccountable daggers and Miki guns blazing, dodging each other's attacks adroitly, until they were a hairs breath from each other, a dagger on Miki's neck and a gun on Mikoto's head.

They then smiled to each other and said, "Then let's do our best for him!"

-000-

(Kei – The Edelweiss) (A Certain Southern Island)

Broken pieces of rocks and wood littered the area, as Kei was doing a martial arts kata. Swift and gentle but harsh and brutal, a combination of punches and kicks, seemingly simple, but the power behind them was undeniable.

"You shouldn't peek at girls…, Takeru…," she suddenly said, still on her routine as the man she addressed came out behind a large boulder.

"A ha ha, sorry about that, Ayamine."

"Kei…"

"Huh?"

Kei suddenly unleashed a powerful punch towards the young man, missing his face just by an inch head and hitting the boulder, making a hole with spider webs of a crack on it and chipping off some of it.

"Call me, Kei," she repeated, looking stoically at him.

"O-of course… Kei," he stuttered, nodding at her.

Kei then pulled her hand back and continued her kata.

"What are you doing here…, Takeru?"

"Umm… I was just checking if you're alright, especially with what happened yesterday. But it seems that my worries are unwarranted."

She only nodded.

"Oh and come back for lunch, we don't want you to get famished aren't we?"

Kei's reply was a sudden powerful ax kick, which he caught by one hand.

"Why did you do that, Kei?" Takeru asked, cocking his head, still holding her leg.

"You are still stronger…"

He then released her leg.

"I did say I'm not normal."

Kei nodded.

"Spar.… Next time.…"

The young man in front of her smiled and said, "I promise."

He then turned back, leaving Kei standing in her place, unmoving.

Her gaze then fell to her right hand, raising it and making a fist. "I have to get stronger…."

-000-

(Meiya – The Lily) (A Certain Southern Island)

The river nearby was flowing serenely, the water clear with a plethora of fishes visibly swimming about. It was a peaceful scenery with the nearby jungle surrounding her, blocking most of the sunlight and giving off a comfortable feeling to those that were there.

There, Meiya was familiarizing herself with her improved skill on sword wielding, specifically the katana. A blade on each hand and their sheaths on each side of her hips, she was fluidly swinging them with a high-level of skill that was expected from a master of the art, a deadly dance of blades.

Then, she heard as sound from the nearby jungle, which made her rush towards the source, quickly slashing at the figure that came out with her two blades.

"Hiie!" However, her attempt ended up as a failure as the young man that came out dived to his right, scurrying away until his back hit the trunk of a nearby tree.

Giving the scared and sweating young man a beautiful smile, she said "Welcome, Takeru, what is the reason for this eventful visit?"

"H-hello Meiya, I just wanted to check if you were fine," he said between ragged breaths as he tried to calm himself.

Meiya then sheathed her blades deftly. "I am fine, Takeru, thank you. It fills my heart with happiness that you are concerned for my well-being. However, what about the others?"

She cocked her head to the side.

"I already met up with Class Rep, Kei, Mikoto, and Tama."

"What about the rest?"

"Marimo-chan and Yuuko-sensei left for the base early in the morning. They said they have things to do there, but no worries, given that all of you are already acclimated with your respective memories, I think we will meet up with them a couple of days from now for the graduation. Concerning Kasumi and Sumika, they are at the mansion with Takahashi-san and I'm confident that they are alright. As for Tsukuyomi and the three idiots, they already left to inform Yuuhi about what happened here and about our plans and goals. In addition, given that they are still members of the Imperial Guards, they still have to report to their posts or it would become suspicious and might attract unwanted attention. Do not worry, Meiya; they will protect your sister."

She nodded in understanding, already knowing what happened to her sister.

"And before I forget, you should come back to the mansion for lunch. It's not good for a beautiful girl such as yourself to skip a meal you know."

_Beautiful? _Her cheeks reddened. She felt good from his praise, making her blush. However, she had to ask. "I promise… umm… Takeru?" Meiya said, fidgeting a bit.

"What is it, Meiya?"

"Do you… remember what I said…."

"About?"

"My last moments…." Meiya remembered the crawling sense of pain as the Superior violated her, its tentacles overtaking her. She remembered his anguished cries as she gave her final request, as she revealed herself to him, her emotions, and her feelings. Even if he did not choose her, she had decided to devote her life to him, and only him, to the man that she loved the most. That is happiness for her, that is enough. _However, this time…._

"A-ah…. Meiya…" She saw Takeru widen his eyes, as realization came forth to him.

_Ah, he does…._

"I—"

"Knowing that you remember is enough for me…. Just know that what I said is true, forever."

_For eternity…._

Takeru was speechless, lowering his head. Seeing this, Meiya decided to change to topic. "Could we have a friendly spar next time…? I want to test my skills against you."

Takeru perked up. "Of course, Meiya, anytime."

She then gave him a radiant smile, making the young man in front of her blush.

"I'll remember that, Takeru"

The young man nodded and said, "See you…," then left.

"See you, Takeru.…"

After a few moments, Meiya was still on her spot, looking at the direction the young man left.

_This time…._

"At last… my feelings have finally reached you… my love."

-000-

(The Mansion – Dining Room)

The dining room was grandiose, a very long table in the middle of the room made of expensive wood with several comfortable chairs, paintings of different scenery from every season, and a large chandelier as the source of light.

Takeru returned to the mansion before lunch to check up on Kasumi and Sumika and as he entered the dining room, he saw them chatting with some of the helpers and chefs. These helpers and chefs then nodded at him in recognition as soon as they noticed him walking towards them and left to do their own work. The girls also turned their attention towards him.

"Hey, Takeru-chan!"

"Hello."

Sumika and Kasumi said respectively towards the young man.

"Hello, Sumika, Kasumi." Takeru greeted back.

"So how are they, Takeru-chan?" the red-haired girl asked.

"Oh, them? They are fine. Right now, they are familiarizing themselves with their new skills. Still, I'm a bit worried, they were really emotional yesterday."

Takeru then sat on a chair next to the girls, massaging his temples, seemingly stressed. Seeing this, the white-haired girl stood up and began to pat his head gently, a stoic look still on her face, which made him look up at her and smile in appreciation.

"Do not worry."

Sumika then raised her right hand in gesture and said, "Kasumi is right, Takeru-chan. They were not angry with you, they were just surprised, that's all," giving the young man an encouragement.

Takeru smiled at their antics.

"Thank you Sumika, Kasumi."

Sumika smiled in reply while Kasumi was still patting his head, then, the red-haired girl tilted her head, seemingly confused. "By the way Takeru-chan, when will we be going back to the base?"

The question from Sumika prompted Kasumi to stop her patting, as the young man looked at them and said, "This Thursday, from call from Yuuko, the graduation, and formalities will happen as soon as we arrived, as for the briefing and the uniforms, we will have them in America right after, specifically the headquarters of the conglomerate."

"Ehh… We're pretty stacked up in our schedule aren't we, Takeru-chan?"

"Time waits for no one."

The young man nodded and said, "It is as Kasumi said, Sumika, time will not wait for us and so is the BETA."

"Right!"

Sumika eagerly nodded while Kasumi gave a single nod as they waited for the rest of the squad to come back.

-000-

(Sumika – The Carnation) (The Mansion)

"Geh! What are you doing here, Meiya-san?"

"What are you doing."

It was late at night, and there in front of her was Meiya with a plain blue kimono used for sleeping.

"Oh, if it's not Sumika and Kasumi; It's a pleasant night isn't?"

Kasumi and Sumika were in pajamas, with hers being pink while Kasumi's were black.

"Don't dodge a question with pleasantries!"

"Don't dodge."

"I am to do my duty as I always did; I am to sleep by his side. Is it not why you two here?"

"A-ah…. What if we are?"

"Yes."

"Kasumi!"

"Question…. answer…."

Mikoto and Miki then came out of a corner, with Mikoto wearing a large green shirt and black shorts while Miki was wearing a yellow, frilly, and childish sleepwear.

"Nya ha, you guys are also here."

"E he he, we were too late, Miki."

Then Kei and Chizuru came out from the side where she and Kasumi came from, Kei wearing a red tank top and white shorts while Chizuru was in a green tracksuit.

"Hey! What are you doing here late at night, it's improper!"

"Then why are you carrying a pillow…?"

Chizuru choked up as she hid her blushing face behind her pillow.

"Hmm…. It seemed that we all wish to sleep by his side," Meiya concluded, nodding to herself.

"Mou…. And here I thought I'll be alone with him tonight."

"I'm here."

"Ah, sorry, Kasumi; can't help myself."

"So, who's going…?"

"How about we have a competition to decide?" Mikoto proposed, answering Kei's question.

"We do not have time," Meiya said, rejecting it.

"Then why don't we all just go…. I don't mind…."

"I for one, agree, Ayamine-san."

"Not proper! Not proper at all!" Chizuru suddenly interceded with a red face, just like she always do.

"Then don't come… we'll leave you behind…."

"Kiii! I'll go, but it's not like I want to. It's just so that there will be no illicit stuff happening."

"E he he, _tsundere_!"

"Nya ha, _tsundere_!"

"Shut up! Mikoto, Miki."

"We don't have a choice, Kasumi-chan."

"Agree."

They then opened the door, each of then slowly approaching the large bed where Takeru was sleeping. A battle would have begun for the prize positions near Takeru, but doing so would just be cruel to the sleep deprived him. Thus, all of them nodded to each other lying down to their preferred positions beside him.

"So what are we going to do?" Sumika asked.

"I propose time-sharing…," Kei answered, nodding like a know-it-all sage.

"Time-sharing?"

"Assign times for each of us to be alone with him…."

"That would be impossible, with all the things that we must do."

"There are seven of us; I don't think that would be productive," Sumika agreed with Meiya's reasoning.

"I guess.…"

"Then how about assigning days, a day for each of us. Perfect right? Since there are seven of us." Mikoto gave her own proposal for the situation.

"Then what about Marimo-sensei, and Yuuko-sensei?" Miki asked.

"What about them?"

"I'm sure they are the same as us. Also, I saw Yuuko waking up beside him yesterday morning," Sumika answered.

"Keh, beaten to a punch by a mature woman," Chizuru shook her head as she cursed.

"Complicated."

"Then why don't we just do what we are currently doing, I see no problem with it." Sumika and the girls nodded at the conclusion Meiya gave. "And we should not worry him. He had enough problems already."

"Yes."

"Agreed…."

"Humph! Of course."

"Yay, a slumber party."

"E he he, this is a unique experience."

"Let's stay by his side and support him for all that we can," Sumika said. For a second, she saw Takeru open his eyes and smiled, minutely nodding to himself.

-000-

(2001/11/01) (Yokohama Base – Auditorium)

It was the squad's graduation, where everything truly begins.

The girls were sitting in front of him, on their foldable metal chairs, with Meiya to the far right followed by Kei, Chizuru, Sumika, Mikoto, Miki, and Kasumi. It was quite a novel sight, seeing Sumika so disciplined with Kasumi, sitting with the squad. As for Takeru, he was with Marimo, sitting right next to her on their respective chairs on the right side of the auditorium, near the stage and in front of the girls. Also, on the left side parallel to his position were Undersecretary-general Tamase, Prime Minister Sakaki, Sakon Yoroi, Tsukuyomi with the three idiots, and Yuuko.

Their presence made some of the girls fidgety, as the adults were looking at them.

With Chizuru, he saw her glancing from time to time towards her father, who was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

As for Miki, her face had a full-blown blush, as her dad was constantly taking pictures of her without care, an excited look on his face, saying, "Tama-chan is so cute and all grown up now! A father could never be so proud! A ha ha ha!" while tears of happiness flowing from his eyes.

With Mikoto, she had her ever-present cheerful smile, but still fidgety with a hint of red on her face, stealing glances towards his grinning father from time to time.

Lastly was Meiya with her noble demeanor, unfazed by those around her, as Tsukuyomi was proudly looking at her with the three idiots. Still, every now and then, a flash would come from Tsukuyomi's direction, but every time he looked at her, she would just be back on her usual strict expression, no camera on hand. In addition, the three idiots, when they think that no one was looking, would make funny faces at him. Takeru can't help but smile at their antics. _It's like I'm really back in the old world._

As for the others, they were sitting in attention; except for Sumika who was looking at him with a smile on her face every time his gaze fell on to her.

However, all of this came to a halt when General Radhabinod and a man with a captain rank walked up towards the stage.

Marimo-chan then stood up. "Attention!" she ordered as the girls stood up. "Salute, General Radhabinod!"

The girls then gave a salute as the general nodded.

"At ease."

The girls then dropped their right hands and sat back on their chairs, same with Marimo, as the general began his speech.

"Today we have a wonderful occasion as new cadets will graduate and take up the mantle to protect mankind from its enemies, cadets who will become humanities shield and sword and will serve with the utmost of their abilities."

_That's a different speech…_

Then again, it was expected, for they are graduating much earlier than the past loop. Also, the coup d'état didn't happen... yet.

"Especially with these very talented youngsters, who I'm sure will do great things in the near future. But the honor of giving these cadets their new ranks will not be on my hands as it would only be proper that their soon to be commander to be the one to give what is due to them."

_Here goes nothing._

"I hereby call Captain Takeru Shirogane to be the one to do the honors."

He stood up, gave the general a salute which he nodded in reply, and then walked up to the stage, taking the general's place. "I'll be honest with you; I don't know what to say…. I am not good with giving speeches nor rising up your spirits for in truth, I am just like you, only a cadet, only but a fresh graduate…. However, after this moment, you… we… will be official Eishi's, to be deployed in the front lines to face the menace that is the BETA. Things will not be easy, nor it would be glorious, for we will bleed, we will cry, and we will despair. However, know this. With every drop of sweat, with every drop of tear from our eyes, and with every drop of blood that we will shed, you, we, each and one of us will give humanity a chance, a chance for a better life, a chance for a better world, and a chance for a better future…. Remember, you are fighting for every man, woman, and child in this god-forsaken earth, regardless of race, religion, and origin, but more importantly, you will fight for yourselves, for your friends, for your family, and for your love ones." He raised his right hand and clenched it to a fist. "Etch these words into you very souls, for they will be your pride and joy, your guide trough these dark times, as you go on through this bloody journey. With strength and determination, with love and courage, we will forge a golden path as we march on towards our goals." The girls were staring at him with eyes full of trust, smiling, as the others listened. He then took a breath of air and lowered his hand. "Today is a good day for all of humanity as new heroes are born, heroes that will pave a path of light through the darkness that enshrouds us all. Heroes that will give hope to the future that was once thought to be full of despair. Heroes that will be the symbol of a new age, and lead humanity as whole towards a brighter future for humankind… that I am sure of." He then closed my eyes to compose himself. "I and the UN hereby acknowledge these cadets as new graduates and fully fledged Eishi's. That is all." He then nodded at Marimo who nodded back and stood up.

"Attention!" she ordered again as the girls stood up. "Salute, Captain Shirogane!"

After the girls gave him a salute, the captain beside him spoke, "We will now present you with your rank insignias." He and the other captain then called each of the girl's names to give them their second lieutenant insignias.

"Now I will inform you that you all will be joining a newly created UN military division independent from higher command, and as of today Sergeant Marimo Jinguuji will be given a new rank, which whom will also join us in the said division. Congratulations first lieutenant." Takeru then tossed the first lieutenant insignia at Marimo-chan, which she clumsily caught, staring at him disbelievingly. "The details of this new division will be given in the briefing the will be held later."

"But what is the name of the new division, Ta-Captain Shirogane?" Marimo asked.

"The UN Flower Squadron."

-000-

**(Author's Notes) **

Hello readers, thank you to those that reviewed, followed and favorited this fic and kudos to those that are reading this section.

To those that might think that by nerfing Takeru, his enemies will also be nerfed. Nope, not going to happen. Muv-Luv is about overcoming despair, and badassery, so nerfing the enemies would be counterproductive for the story. The BETA and his human enemies will be increasing their threat level, making the battles more exciting, well; I hope it would be more exciting. Though don't expect it so soon... Basically, the threat that Takeru poses will make ripples that would make his enemies much stronger, much more threatening. You see, I'm more like, earn your happy ending kind of person, so Takeru curb stomping everything would be boring, for me and for the readers.

To those that think that Ikaruga had become a pussy, well, more like easily convince. Sorry if he may seem to be like that. My reasoning would be that with Kyogoku, that character from Sakura Taisen, being the son of the Emperor, Ikaruga's power and influence is pretty much cut in half, if not, lower, making him a bit desperate to oust the walking cancer. Also, it is easy to say yes, but actually giving his support to Takeru is still up in the clouds, that's the reason Takeru would be rushing things, which would be much clearer in the next arc. Still, I won't downplay Ikaruga's role since he's too much of an awesome character.

For now, that would be all. Remember; I'm open to some ideas, reviews, and criticism from, you, readers, for me to improve this story. Again, thank you for reading and good day.


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